20 Kisses: Hero Worship
by Dark Interval
Summary: From the very moment Apollo opened his law textbook and saw Phoenix's photograph, his fate had been sealed. Two defense attorneys, one agency, twenty kisses behind closed doors. Latest kiss: Ownership. So, their relationship was structured on the basis of power dynamics, huh? Fine. Boyfriend or not, he swore he'd make Phoenix live to regret those very words.
1. Mornings

**Author's note:**

Yes, I'm back with a new story and it's another OdoNaru because I can't get enough of these two. There's really a great lack of dom!Apollo fanfics out there and I found it quite disappointing, because I actually believe someone as passionate as him can definitely exert that sort of energy in a relationship ;) And who better to be on the receiving end of that love, than childhood idol and mentor, Phoenix?

Anyway, this is going to be a collection of short stories revolving around established Apollo/Phoenix. They'll be updated as and when I get inspired by a prompt or quote or anything, really. Enjoy!

* * *

 **20 Kisses: Hero Worship  
**

 **by Dark Interval**

 **First Kiss: Mornings**

* * *

Athena burst through the doors of the 'Wright Anything Agency', beaming as wide and bright as the yellow of her uniform. As always, she ran all the way to work from her apartment, like 20 blocks away, in boots; but a little distance wasn't going to put a damper on her spirits. Apollo often wondered where in the world she got all her energy from, but whenever she invited him to join her, he'd give it a pass with a well-placed grimace. Humph, it wasn't her fault her partner was such a stiff.

"Good morning, everyone!" she sang merrily, clasping her hands together.

Silence.

She heard more than felt her morale crash around her.

Athena struck a dramatic pose, clenching her fists as the beginnings of tears pricked at her eyes. _Terrible!_ Widget mirrored her depression. Again, her co-workers were ignoring her. Even penguins didn't like her. _WHY?_

Well, seeing as it was a Monday, Trucy was probably at school. But where were Phoenix and Apollo? It wasn't like them to miss work, and her boss practically _lived_ here!

'Oh well… guess I'll go make myself some coffee…' she thought dejectedly.

Looks like it was going to be a long morning…

Suddenly, she heard a noise and visibly perked up. It was pretty faint, but there was definitely someone else in the office. The muffled voices were coming from her boss' bedroom down the hall and upon approaching said location, she realised the door was slightly ajar. The voices were also a lot clearer to the point that she was able to make out complete sentences, and by the sound of it, they were arguing. Actually, it was more of a one-sided argument. Especially when she only heard Apollo's voice, and by the sound of its increasing shrillness and exasperation, he was probably losing.

Concerned and unable to resist her mounting curiosity, Athena gently prodded the door open just a crack wider and peered into the room. The sight that greeted her however, made her feel all warm and fuzzy and she felt a blush slowly creep across her cheeks. All this time, she had her suspicions, but she _never knew…_ She fought to restrain her giggles. Inwardly, she hoped Widget wouldn't pick up on her positive energy and ruin the moment.

So _that's_ what her boss and partner were up to…

There, on the cramped single bed with its rumpled sheets and disorderly bedspread, sat Phoenix Wright, barely conscious and halfway in dreamland. He already had his pants, shirt and vest on though, courtesy of Apollo, who was ostensibly struggling with the task of helping his mentor get dressed. The younger man himself had only just struggled into his own clothes and hadn't had the time to style his trademark hair spikes yet. Unruly brown tresses flopped about uselessly; Apollo blew them out of his face in annoyance as he fussed over his boss' tie.

"Geez, what are you? 10? Can't you dress yourself? If you don't _wake up right now_ , you're going to be late for the trial!" Apollo grumbled in-between tying Phoenix's necktie, while silently reminding himself not to strangle the guy in his frustration. Otherwise, Phoenix's client would have no one to represent them in court and that wouldn't be good.

Despite his protégé's complaints, Phoenix yawned loudly and reached up to rub the sleep from his eyes. A number of cute indiscernible noises escaped the confines of his throat.

" _Mn…_ But, 'pollo… I'm so sleepy…" he whined miserably. Apollo felt a headache coming on.

"That's because you stayed up all night preparing instead of _sleeping_ like I told you to!"

"Wahhh… Apollo's mean!"

The vein in his temple throbbed dangerously. Forget it. Dealing with Phoenix in the morning was like dealing with a cranky baby with an unchanged diaper. And wasn't the guy _supposed_ to be the older one? So much for responsible parenting. He knotted the tie a bit too tightly and Phoenix choked.

"At least tie your own necktie!"

"But-But I don't know how…"

" _Learn."_

As Phoenix pouted and attempted to adjust his tie himself (albeit clumsily), Apollo sighed and decided to go easy on him. He could never stay mad at his idol after all.

"Here," he offered, straightening the thing in a more presentable manner. Then, he grabbed Phoenix's suit jacket from the closet and helped him into it, taking care to ensure that his attorney's badge was properly pinned onto the lapel.

Phoenix smiled appreciatively, laughed, and patted him fondly on the head, which caused Apollo's cheeks to crimson. The endearing sight made Phoenix's heart race and every inch of his body feel pleasantly warm. His fingers remained in Apollo's hair a little longer, combing and caressing, a loving and habitual gesture mostly.

"Thanks, Apollo. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Said man snorted, "Probably a lot worse."

The young lawyer dipped his head to plant a soft kiss on his lover's badge. It still warmed his heart to know that his idol was back, that this badge meant the world to Phoenix as it did to him. Running the 'Wright Anything Agency' together as its founding lawyers – Apollo felt like they were actual partners, and as sappy as that sounded, hopefully in more ways than one. It certainly felt that way at this point.

Blushing, Phoenix involuntarily covered his mouth and looked away the same time Apollo lifted his gaze to smirk at him, suggestive. Damn _,_ this kid was either getting cockier by the day, or he was steadily losing his composure. Then again, it wasn't like he ever discouraged Apollo's affections, so he only had himself to blame.

The petulant expression on his face, like a child who realized he had just been outsmarted, drew forth a chuckle from Apollo. With some sympathy for the non-morning soul, he tugged Phoenix towards him by the lapels of his suit and tenderly captured his lover's lips in a toe curling, star-seeing good morning kiss. A soft, irritable protest escaped Phoenix's throat, but that soon tapered down into a low moan, returning the kiss and giving in fully to Apollo's ministrations. Damn, the kid was a way better kisser than he gave him credit for. He realized he ought to be worried.

Releasing Phoenix's lips slowly, almost reluctantly, Apollo pulled away to rest his forehead against his. Intense dark brown met enchanting blue; Apollo felt it was impossible _not_ to get lost in those mesmerizing pools. He could stare into Phoenix's eyes all day. 'I love you', they seemed to say, even when clouded over with sleep.

"Wake up, Mr. Wright."

"Yeah, yeah – he held back a yawn – I heard you…"

Apollo released him from his embrace and took a step back.

Bringing his arms over his head in a gratuitous stretch, Phoenix didn't even bother stiffening his next yawn. _Urgh, so tired…_ No need to look in the mirror to see he had massive eye bags enough to rival those of Prosecutor Blackquill's. And speaking of that twisted samurai, he was due to face him in court today, which was precisely why he studied the case and his evidence so hard and lost sleep over it. Blackquill was terrifying; Taka was out for his blood; he still had nightmares of the judge until this day, and he felt so sleepy…

Seeing that Phoenix was more or less awake, Apollo turned around and headed to the dresser, a can of hairspray in one hand and the other holding up two spikes of his hair. He couldn't serve up a hot whooping of Justice without his trademark look after all.

"Anyway, now that you're finally awake, I wanted to discuss my - "

 _FLOP._

Apollo whirled around sharply. Phoenix had collapsed back onto the bed, snoring lightly and out like a light. _Oh, for the love of -_ Apollo resisted an exasperated sigh and returned to Phoenix's side. He prodded his cheek. _Sleeping like a baby._ With a fond shake of his head, he brushed aside a stray lock of black hair and planted a soft kiss on the slumbering male's forehead. His lips lingered there for a few seconds, before reluctantly pulling away. Phoenix smiled in his sleep and snuggled into the pillow that smelled distinctly of Apollo, cooing happily. In spite of himself, Apollo too smiled and wondered why he even bothered.

"Sweet dreams, Mr. Wright."

Then, he grabbed the case files and dashed out of the room, nearly crashing into Athena in his haste.

"Whoa, Athena! When did _you_ get here?!" he demanded, red-faced, the folder flying up to shield a good portion of his mortification.

How long had she been standing there? How much did she see? Or was he the one making a big fuss about the whole thing? Maybe if he prayed hard enough, she never saw a thing and would therefore not mercilessly tease him about it later; or worse, gossip to Trucy. He had almost forgotten how scary girls were.

Athena, meanwhile, regarded him with a thoughtful frown, hands on her hips. Perhaps it was the inner romantic in her, or because she was in an incredibly good mood today, but instead of teasing or calling Apollo out on his little secret, she simply put on her sweetest, most unsuspecting smile and said, "Huh? I just arrived actually - what's wrong?"

To her utmost relief, Apollo was too busy being nervous to perceive any inconsistencies in her response. In fact, _he_ was the one desperately avoiding her eyes, though her answer did get him to immediately relax.

"N-Nothing," he recovered quickly, holding up Phoenix's case file with a wide grin, "just that we got ourselves a job to do."

Athena eyed him hesitantly. "Not toilet duty again, right? Please… No more…"

"No, it's actual defending this time," he assured her, flipping the file open.

"Mr. Wright's client, Mr. Deejit Nott, is being accused of murdering his five-year-old son in their apartment last Sunday morning. Since it was a locked room murder and the defendant was the only one caught leaving and entering the apartment on the security camera, Prosecutor Blackquill asserts that Mr. Nott's the only possible suspect."

Athena blanched, pulling at her face. Why did they always end up getting the most hopeless of cases?!

"Urgh… I've nothing against Simon and all, but even _I'm_ not exactly keen to face him in court again this soon…"

"Well, neither of us would have to if Mr. Wright didn't just _K.O,_ " said Apollo wryly, irritably; but there was the barest trace of discord in his heart. Though Athena could hear the noise clearly, she already knew from whom Apollo's raging emotions stemmed from. It was quite sweet, actually.

"Luckily, I saw this coming, so I studied the case myself." He snapped the file shut with a sigh. "If I'm not the one picking up after Mr. Wright, then who will?"

" _Aww!"_

He paused, eyes darting about in surprise. He could've sworn he heard something.

"... Did you hear that?"

"N-Nope!" Athena answered hastily, while discreetly bopping Widget on its, uh, head. Apollo gave her a weird look, but otherwise didn't think much about it. It _was_ Athena after all.

"Anyway, we better get going! The trial starts in half an hour!"

" _WHAT?! Today?!"_

All thoughts of her boss and partner dating each other fled Athena's mind in an instant. She knew it: it _was_ going to be a long morning. Office romance would have to wait. If they happened to win the case, she just _might_ ask him about it later.

The duo sprinted out the building, but not without Apollo leaving behind a quick gift in his absence. Placed on the office coffee table was a single cup of freshly brewed coffee with two lumps of sugar on the side. It was Phoenix's favorite blue mug, and it was hot.

 _Have a nice day, Mr. Wright._

* * *

 **Author's note:**

Something fluffy to kick things off! Please support me and this story by leaving a review or following, thank you! :)

I'm also open to suggestions for future kisses, be it requests, prompts, or even in-game quotes. Generally, the projected aim of this collection is to hit 20 chapters, but who knows? That could very well change in the future if ideas keep coming ;)


	2. Seduction

**20 Kisses: Hero Worship  
**

 **by Dark Interval**

 **Second Kiss: Seduction**

* * *

"Well, if the defense has nothing more to add, I'm prepared to deliver my ver–"

" _Objection!"_

The judge's gavel paused in mid strike; Blackquill's eyes flashed dangerously; the witness panicked; and a hush fell over the gallery for the fourth time that session. Honestly, this was getting ridiculous – a simple, clear-cut, down-to-earth case and Phoenix Wright was over-complicating things as usual. The judge regarded said attorney in wide-eyed surprise – though that did beg the question as to why the old man could _still_ be so fazed over his colorful shenanigans after all these years.

"What is it now, Mr. Wright? I believe you've cross-examined this poor witness enough."

"Oh, don't worry, your honor. I think I got exactly what I need to know," said Phoenix with a smug smirk, hands poised confidently at his hips. So, he didn't have Apollo or Athena defending by his side today – so what? He totally had this one in the bag. Oh yeah – chalk one up for experience!

Blackquill's hand hovered over his side in a threatening manner, reaching for an invisible _katana_ that was never really there. However, that didn't make him any less intimidating; plus, there were no more handcuffs.

"Wright-dono, if you insist on sprouting those asinine theories of yours, Taka and I will deal with you accordingly, swiftly, and if necessary, painfully."

The beginnings of sweat trickled down the sides of Phoenix's face. _Ack, he's scary._ But there was no backing down now, not when he was _this close_ to presenting an alternative possibility and therefore extending the trial another day for further investigation. He believed in his client, would continue to believe them until the bitter end, even if that meant he was currently grasping at straws and functioning with only half a brain cell left.

"Oh really, Prosecutor Blackquill? They're not so 'asinine' at all if you realised one important contradiction – he raised a finger and struck his signature pose – the victim didn't die at 2am; she died at 3am!"

"Silence!"

Blackquill resisted hammering the table in his amusement and reviewed the autopsy report instead.

"Objecting the autopsy report now, Wright-dono?" He smirked nastily with a condescending shake of his head. "Your baldness, your verdict."

The judge had ceased to remain shocked and now looked thoroughly displeased.

"That's a full hour's difference, Mr. Wright! I'm assuming you have decisive evidence to support your claim?"

"Heh heh… Actually… Not at the moment," he faltered, sheepish, "but I will! Eventually. Tomorrow. After proper investigation."

The shocked expression returned. "Now you're objecting to the prosecution's professionalism?!"

 _Ack! No!_ Dammit, why wasn't the judge ever on his side? Especially after all their years of affinity? He was practically the _only_ judge he worked with! _Come on!_ Didn't experience (especially his striking reputation to turn things around at the very last minute) count for anything?

Blackquill tsked, "Now _I'm_ inclined to object Wright-dono's legitimacy as a defense attorney…"

Phoenix's poor, abused brain managed to pick up on that one though. _Finally,_ something he could prove! And that comeback was low, even for an ex-convict.

"Objection!" He slammed his palms against the table. "I have evidence to prove once and for all that I'm a man worthy of my claim _and_ title!"

And with dramatic flair characterized mostly by sheer desperation and a mechanistic defense to the ego, he reached for his lapel and whipped out his attorney's badge for the court and essentially the whole world to see.

"Take that!"

Suffice to say, the silence that greeted Phoenix that day was the thickest, longest and most deafening one he ever heard in his entire career as a lawyer thus far.

* * *

" _Unnnngggggghhhhhh…"_

It was the loudest groan to ever grace the walls of the 'Wright Anything Agency'. Phoenix sat on the couch, head in his hands, face burning from humiliation. That trial was a complete disaster – Mia would've been gravely (no pun intended) disappointed. Not only did he end up making himself look like a total greenhorn in front of national media, but also his client was beginning to show signs of some serious regret and apprehension for even entrusting him to their defense. Perhaps he was losing his touch after that last big case with the Phantom… though that thought kind of made him feel even _more_ depressed. He wasn't _that_ old yet, was he? He was just pushing 35. The sudden thought of turning into some washed up has-been like the Payne brothers sent a violent shudder down his spine. Oh well, at least the judge was amiable enough to grant his request for an extension, but could he still show his face in court tomorrow after all that?

'Of course I have to,' he mentally admonished himself; he still needed to prove his client innocent. Speaking of which, he really ought to pay them a visit in the detention center, as well as resume his own investigation… even if he didn't particularly feel in the mood for either at the moment.

Perhaps the transition from poker to law wasn't as seamless as he initially thought.

He sighed miserably, "Maybe I need a break."

In the midst of feeling sorry for himself, he felt something cold and wet touch his forehead and with a start, looked up curiously. The first thing he saw was a glass of iced tea complete with a single slice of lemon perched on the rim; the second was a warm, heart stopping smile that belonged to none other than Apollo. Despite his gloom, the brunette's positive energy was infectious and Phoenix found himself smiling as well, albeit hesitantly.

"T-Thanks," he murmured, accepting the drink before taking a tentative sip. As the glass tipped, the ice clustered together and touched his lips in a soft 'chink'; it was refreshing enough to lift his spirits a touch.

"I saw your trial earlier," said Apollo as he took a seat next to him. He brought his own glass to his lips and took a huge gulp of the tea, before releasing a satisfied sigh. His gaze shifted to his idol and mentor; and forcing down his bashfulness (something Phoenix found to be quite adorable until this day), he placed a tentative hand on the older male's knee and gave it a comforting squeeze.

"Don't worry, we all have our days."

His smile was sympathetic and it almost made Phoenix want to dig a hole in the ground and bury himself for the next 24 hours, or until the whole memory of his embarrassing slip-up became a forgotten dream. Great, Apollo was feeling sorry for him. Just peachy.

"Sorry, Apollo," he shot him a defeated smirk, placing his drink on the coffee table, "I guess I'm not exactly the hero from your textbooks."

An unreadable expression crossed Apollo's face. There it was again – Phoenix doubting himself. Well, it was about time he showed his idol that he was still worthy of said title and how a little mistake didn't change the way he viewed and felt about him. From the moment Apollo opened his law textbook and saw Phoenix's photograph – cool, confident and devilishly attractive – his fate had been sealed. Phoenix was everything he wanted to be; he was everything he _wanted._

"Mr. Wright…"

The hand had traveled from his knee up to his thigh, the sudden heat and intimacy causing Phoenix to blush at least four shades of red. Wait, was Apollo coming onto him? _Now?_ When he lifted his gaze and found himself at the mercy of a pair of intense dark brown eyes, all fired up and indomitable, Apollo's lips but a few inches from his own, breath hot with desire, he realised it to be true.

On normal circumstances, he would have teased his protégé and get a laugh from how utterly flustered and adorable Apollo would get; reciprocate his advances and meet him halfway even - but not today. He was feeling too sour to feel remotely romantic or horny, and it bothered him slightly to note that instead of cheering him up or employing some half-baked attempt at idyllic seduction, Apollo chose to be a real dick about it in every sense of the word.

"A-Apollo - _mmrph!"_

Soft yet slightly chapped lips descended upon his own, hot and insistent. The pair crashed onto the couch with Apollo on top and a protesting Phoenix beneath him pushing pathetically against him chest, but there was no stopping Apollo whenever he got that fiery look in his eyes. A searing tongue entered his mouth to dance passionately with his own reluctant one, though it didn't take long to warm up to the heat and Phoenix soon began to experience the telltale signs of his own body betraying him. He felt his ego and pride collapse as he wound his arms around Apollo's neck, returning his kisses with equal fervor, drowning; thrashing; basking and smothering himself in the young man's love.

The brunette feasted on him like a wild animal. Apollo's penetrating stare was on him and Phoenix had to shut his eyes to escape his own vulnerability. It was too much.

What were they talking about again? He didn't remember and he didn't _want_ to remember. All he knew was that he had been feeling like utter crap before, but _now_ \- now he felt like he was on cloud nine.

Apollo left scalding marks along the side of his neck - bright red that would turn dark purple soon enough. He did it because he claimed he couldn't control himself, but Phoenix knew better: when it came to him, Apollo was inherently possessive (don't even get him started when either Edgeworth or Klavier called); and because he knew Phoenix was kind, he knew he'd proudly bear those marks for the world to see. It gave him a rise in confidence, and Phoenix a multitude of awkward stares from curious onlookers.

"Just relax, Mr. Wright… I'll take it from here," breathed Apollo in a low, sultry voice and Phoenix whimpered from the promise of pleasure it held.

Hot. It was hot. And as his own fingers moved down to tug desperately at Apollo's tie, Phoenix suddenly felt a hand on the front of his pants and moaned into the kiss. But when that same hand moved to fumble with the clasp of his belt, his senses came rushing back to him.

 _Not now._

With the remnants of his willpower, Phoenix tore his mouth away and pushed Apollo far enough so that he could at least sit up and not feel so damn powerless under his protégé's hold. He was the Turnabout King of Court, but not in the bedroom it seemed - something that Apollo continuously reminded him of even in the most inappropriate of moments. He chalked it up to youthful vitality.

" _What_ are you doing?" He demanded in an attempt to salvage what remained of his authority, but the way his voice pitched in distress clearly undermined his intentions. His flushed cheeks didn't help his case either. "I _embarrassed_ myself in court today, and all you can think about is your- your - _Argh!_ "

Forget it, he didn't even want to say it. Because saying it meant admitting it existed, and admitting it existed would mean that they had a problem. And believe you me; Phoenix had enough problems on his plate already. He didn't need to add relationship issues into the mix, thank you very much. Then again, he _had_ chosen to date someone 10 years younger than him; although he himself wasn't exactly renowned for his maturity - but that wasn't the point.

Apollo observed the senior attorney for a moment, taking in his flustered appearance with a contemplative tilt of his head, before he was all-grins once more. So, his boss wanted some cheering up, huh? And the soft, sweet kind at that! He always knew Phoenix was secretly a sucker for romance – he claimed he wasn't into romantic flicks, but always ended up tearing at the last bits under the pretense of some eye irritation.

"Well, I _was_ trying to help you relax…" he trailed off with an awkward smile, scratching his cheek with a finger. "But I guess that's not what you need right now. Sorry, Mr. Wright."

In spite himself, Phoenix found himself sighing and he reached out to pat the younger male on the head, threading his fingers through his unyielding hair. Hmm, Apollo _really_ put in a lot of effort into those hair spikes of his… Absently, he wondered if it was the kid's way of taking after his own notoriously spiky hair, and if it was, it appeared Apollo really _did_ worship him. It was both flattering and a little inconceivable.

There they sat in comfortable silence – a lazy Wednesday afternoon, just the two of them. As Apollo preened under his mentor's attentions and reflected on their relationship, Phoenix continued to look at Apollo, study him, and thought back to why or how he ended up choosing this handsome, enthusiastic, remarkably loyal and too-loud-to-be-normal young man to spend the rest of his life with.

It was pure chance Apollo, orphaned son of a late stage performer, got into law and fell in love with him. It was chance that he had worked in a law firm run by the very man who conspired to kill his idol for seven years. It was chance Phoenix stepped into that same law firm and his and Apollo's eyes – so wide and impressionable then – met for the very first time. It was chance he chose Apollo to defend him because he had been the only other person there, and it was chance Apollo continued to stay with him after that was all said and done. But for all the chances he saw in their encounter, Apollo viewed them as wonderful coincidences and in a sense; he was able to view their relationship as something inherently beautiful.

'He really does love me,' Phoenix realised, tracing his fingers from Apollo's hair to his mouth, watching as his lover instinctively took the tips between his lips, kissing them tenderly like a knight who worshiped his king. 'And I've been a jerk.'

"Apollo, about earlier… I'm sorry. It was your way of cheering me up – I misunderstood."

"It's fine, Mr. Wright," he said, and the cheer in his voice truly made Phoenix believe that. But then, a cheeky smirk wormed its way across his lips. "Though you can make it up to me by taking care of this…"

He grabbed Phoenix's hand and guided it to the distinct bulge of his crotch, which was straining against his pants. Phoenix's face crimsoned so fast, it was a miracle he didn't pass out there and then. _The heck – he's hard already?!_ Two years and he _still_ couldn't get used to stuff like this... perhaps he was a bit old-fashioned. Although it was sort of flattering he had been the cause of Apollo's excitement, it didn't change the fact that his lover's seduction techniques (what technique?) still left much to be desired.

"F-Fine," he stuttered, hiding his embarrassment behind his hand. "But we're moving to the bedroom."

Apollo grinned. "That works."

The transition to the bedroom was seamless: the exchange of kisses, of dodging in and out of playful touches, and the laughter and passion in their eyes. Articles of clothing fell away and the mattress sank from the combined weight of their bodies intertwined. It was like a dance only they knew the steps to, a melding of heat, flesh and euphoria, and they danced all day.

* * *

The first thing Phoenix noticed when he awoke was not that he was naked or that Apollo was nowhere to be found, but that his ass was _killing_ him. Also, he felt so disoriented, he couldn't tell what time it was – if it was still today, or already tomorrow. He gingerly sat up, the bed sheets pooling at his waist, when he noticed the clock on his bedside table, which read 5:30pm.

"Huh, 5:30… _Wait, 5:30?!"_

He was out of bed in seconds, scrambling to put his clothes back on, hopping around the room; pulled on his socks. Goddammit, Apollo – if he knew the kid was going to turn a quick blowjob into an extremely hot and long fuck, he would have stopped him.

Phoenix paused in the middle of shrugging on his vest when he realised that the detention center was already closed, meaning he couldn't speak with his client. Meaning he didn't have any leads in his investigation. Which also meant that he was going to court empty handed tomorrow – not much of an improvement from this morning, really.

So much for a happy turnabout.

"I'm going to kill him."

He threw open the bedroom door (never mind how much it hurt to walk) and stormed into the office/living room, ready to give Apollo a piece of his mind and a good punch to the face, but the place was empty. Blinking stupidly, Phoenix stood motionless at the center of the office; he felt ridiculous and a little disappointed. If he had a tail it would have drooped sadly. Did his protégé really just fuck him and leave? How unromantic.

Suddenly, he heard voices coming from the kitchen – or rather, pantry designed to look like a kitchen. It sounded like both Trucy and Apollo and it didn't take him long to figure out the pair were probably in the midst of preparing dinner. Also, seeing as his daughter was already home and Apollo was still here, the latter probably went to pick her up from school for him, which was nice he supposed.

Then, he heard Apollo say something to which Trucy burst out laughing. Phoenix frowned, a combination of curiosity and trepidation welling in his gut as he approached the kitchen. What on earth were they talking about? He prayed to God it wasn't about today's trial…

"Ahaha! I can't believe daddy did that! How did the judge react?"

… aaaand it was.

"Considering your dad cross-examined a parrot and an orca before, I would say he took it quite well actually."

"Hmm, but I don't get it though," she continued, a thoughtful pout on her lips. "Athena mentioned this the last time, but I still can't quite wrap my mind around it. Why _do_ you and daddy like to flash your badges so much? It's like second nature to you – it's kinda weird."

This coming from a girl who pulled things out of a pair of magic panties.

"I never gave it much thought actually," Apollo replied with a noncommittal shrug. "I always just whip it out."

Somehow that comment made Phoenix feel even more irritated than when Apollo first tried to "seduce" him this afternoon. And before either Apollo or Trucy could register Phoenix's presence, he grabbed the nearest object next to him, which happened to be a frying pan, and hurled it straight at his lover's face. The resonating ' _CLANG!'_ that followed was music to his ears.

"Well, let's see you 'whip it out' on the couch tonight!" he yelled, before stomping out of the kitchen.

As a poor chastened Apollo nursed the new bump forming on his forehead, Trucy stared after her father's retreating figure before turning to smile innocently at the young attorney on the ground.

"So… does this mean you're sleeping over tonight, Polly?"

* * *

 **Author's note:**

Thank you for reading this latest kiss, and if you've read both chapters, thank you for your support!

This installment was inspired by a quote in "Dual Destinies": "I never gave it much thought actually. I always just whip it out." - Apollo. Thank you, tumblr for Apollo's seduction technique lol.

I'm still accepting prompts, so if you guys have any, feel free to let me know! Also, if you like my story so far, please leave a review, follow or fav. A little response goes a long way and is extremely encouraging!


	3. Eternal

**Author's note:**

This fanfic's rating has been bumped up to M for future updates of a more mature nature. Things can only get hotter from here on ;) Thank you for your kind attention and for the follows as well. Enjoy the fanfic!

 **Warning:** This chapter contains sexual content and light angst. Reader's discretion is advised.

* * *

 **20 Kisses: Hero Worship  
**

 **by Dark Interval**

 **Third kiss: Eternal**

* * *

Snow fell around him, soft and light as silk. Phoenix could feel its icy kisses pepper the skin of his cheeks; he stuck out his tongue and caught a falling snowflake. It melted upon contact and he giggled to himself, repeating the action with an almost apathetic puerility. The empty landscape was awash in white and wherever he looked nothing greeted the eye but grey skies and snow that fell like stars. There was beauty in the silence, this private and sacred space; and it reminded him of the tranquility he felt during his (unwilling) retreat to the _Hazakura Temple_ all those years ago. The faces of Maya, Pearl, Bikini and Iris flashed through his mind and he allowed a sad, wistful smile to grace his lips. How the years go by… Winter always made him feel inexplicably old.

"Mr. Wright, if we don't hurry we'll freeze to death!"

Phoenix removed his gaze from the snowy mountains to regard his companion with a laugh. At the entrance of _Nine-Tails Vale,_ under its characteristic signboard of demon pictorial, stood a none-too-pleased Apollo Justice, body half covered in thick layers of snow. The poor guy had been standing there for the past half hour watching Phoenix reminisce and roll around like a happy puppy. With his unamused face and twin hair spikes being the only things that stuck out from beneath the hood of his winter wear, he really did resemble a red demon, albeit an adorable one.

"Aw… Apollo, live a little!" he teased, patting the hood and withdrawing in concern when a large clump of snow slid off the top.

Apollo gave a gruff mutter of acknowledgement.

"A-Anyway, it's not every day we get to go on vacation – for free!"

"And _who_ was the one who kept complaining it was too cold to go anywhere and would rather spend his holidays in the office all alone and sad?"

"... Touché."

The only reason they were here after all, was from Apollo's persistent pestering and a pair of free tickets for a full week's stay at _Nine-Tails Vale's_ new hot springs inn. It was a gift from Jinxie and Damian Tenma for helping them out the last time. The tickets were meant for him and Athena, but the latter had gone back to Europe for the holidays, Trucy was away on a school ski trip, which left Phoenix as the only available candidate. Apollo didn't mind though – he could use a vacation – the only problem was Phoenix. Although he looked cheerful now, it had been a major _pain_ dragging him out of the office. At first, Apollo thought it had something to do with hitting middle age; now he realised it was just Phoenix.

"By the way, I requested a normal room. Not exactly keen on demon statues watching me sleep."

Phoenix chuckled nervously, "Good call." He almost forgot the town's demon motif.

As Apollo took him by the hand and led him down the town's snow-covered streets, Phoenix couldn't help but grasp his lover's hand tighter. It was an unconscious assurance, a subtle display of affection and simply enjoying the young lawyer's presence. With the snow falling around them and the dim light of streetlamps forming halos over their heads, the scene was quite romantic. Phoenix spared a quick peek at the brunette; the sudden redness of Apollo's face made him smile discreetly. The kid was always so easily embarrassed.

Absently, Phoenix retrieved the tickets from his coat pocket and read the fine print. Then he paused.

"Hey, Apollo?"

"Huh?"

"It says here that these tickets are no longer valid if we check-in after 3pm."

"Oh. What time is it now?"

"2.58pm…"

"..."

"..."

The pair swore colorfully and raced down the street faster than Miles Edgeworth fleeing a love-struck Wendy Oldbag.

* * *

By the time they got to the inn, the two attorneys looked like they had just survived a snowstorm. Twice. The attendants at the counter gave them bewildered stares, before shaking their heads apologetically when Phoenix produced the tickets. They had missed the time slot.

"But that's not fair! It was snowing on our way here," exclaimed Apollo, tugging off his hood in his excitement. He slammed his fists onto the counter.

"Objection! I object to coming all this way for nothing! I object to rules!"

"Apollo, calm down!"

Phoenix tugged his own hood off as he desperately tried to appease his partner before he ended up causing a scene with the other guests. It was clear as day Apollo was no longer capable of thinking rationally – perhaps all that snow had gotten to his brain. That, and he was scaring the staff with his 'Chords of Steel'.

They were _this_ close to getting themselves thrown out, but at the sight of the pair's spiky hair, the staff immediately started bowing frantically, fearfully, crying out words of a different kind of apology. Some threw themselves at Phoenix and Apollo's feet, faces pressed to the carpet, groveling; others cowered behind the counter, begging the forgiveness of "the red and blue demons, emissaries of the Underworld" for their foolish transgressions. As Phoenix looked on utterly incredulous and painfully confused, Apollo sighed loudly, massaging his forehead. Right, his boss didn't know how seriously these people took to their superstitions… He smirked. Then again, who was he to deny them the rights to practice their culture?

"So, about our room…"

He promptly received a key from the pale, shaking manager, who wished them a pleasant stay along with a quiet plea not to banish any of them to hell. Before Phoenix could voice his questions, Apollo slapped a hand over his mouth and tugged him away.

* * *

Stripping down to nothing but his underwear, Apollo bent forward to fold his clothes and placed them on a neat pile next to Phoenix's. The boxers were next and he shivered against the frigid cold that blew in from the open window. He already dreaded stepping foot _outside._

This was insane - how Phoenix could brave freaking _winter_ to soak in a hot spring and convince him to tag along, was beyond him. Then again, the older male didn't need much persuasion power on his side: he'd follow him to the ends of the earth, and that smug bastard knew it.

'Still, it wouldn't kill him to ask, right?' Apollo thought irritably.

Well, fine - Phoenix _had_ asked… that is, if you counted a provocative strip tease and a suggestive smirk over the shoulder before stepping out into their private hot spring bath, asking.

The mere memory of Phoenix's clothes sliding away to reveal an increasing area of smooth, unblemished skin, like an aesthetically crafted and choreographed performance, private and exclusive to his eyes, caused heat to rush up Apollo's face, and he had to force those sensual images out of his mind before that heat decided to travel elsewhere. Phoenix's playfulness _really_ didn't do much for his self-restraint and he was certain his mentor provoked him on purpose. Perhaps it excited the other just as much as those subtle touches and implicit promises aroused him.

But first, he needed to get out there.

Clenching his fists and glaring at the snowscape beyond the window, Apollo steeled himself.

"Alright. Here comes Justice!"

He grabbed a small towel next to the clean set of _yukatas,_ crossed to the second section of the traditional Japanese room, and threw open the door leading to the outdoor hot spring. Though the bath was generally warded off to outsiders and attached to each private room in the inn, it still had a spectacular view of the distant snowy mountains and infinite skies. However, it wasn't the scenery that first caught Apollo's attention and took his breath away; it was the beautiful man in the water: well-built, toned and visually pleasing, with all the right muscles in the right places; not too bulky and slender; a harmony between elegance and masculinity that made the vision all the more erotic.

Phoenix was leaning halfway out the bath, his arms folded in front of him across the stone floor, resting his cheek against them. His eyes were closed and he faced the general direction of the sliding door as if anticipating his lover's arrival. Clouds of steam draped across his bare body in false modesty like a translucent white fur coat. Tiny droplets of water and perspiration clung to his naked flesh and rolled down his back and arms as he breathed. Apollo followed the path of those droplets with his eyes, helplessly transfixed. He wanted to replace his gaze with his tongue. And the little devil on his shoulder told him he could if he very much wished it.

 _Damn, I'm lucky._

And then, Phoenix slowly opened his eyes. They were half-lidded and spoke of a secret passion. A warm and gentle smile graced his lips as he gazed at his protégé with the intensity of a lone flame burning in the dead of night; and like a moth, Apollo was drawn to him. He felt more than saw the older man's gaze rack appreciatively over his body. Phoenix's eyes darkened with lust and he parted his lips, breathing out the wonderful syllables that were his lover's name in a needy moan.

" _Apollo…"_

Said man crashed onto the stone floor and suffered the biggest nosebleed of his life.

"Wahhhh! Apollo! Apollo, are you alright?!"

The next moment, Apollo's towel was soaked red and a concerned Phoenix was helping to slowly ease the stubborn defense attorney into the hot springs. On one hand, considering Apollo had lost quite a lot of blood, he ought to avoid the hot springs at all; on the other hand, Phoenix didn't want him to catch pneumonia or suffer a case of frostbite. Apollo hissed as his cold skin made contact with the intense heat of the water; he hadn't experienced anything like this before and quite frankly, he wasn't so sure what was worse: the biting cold of winter or the searing temperatures he was consciously admitting himself to. But the December winds were enough motivation and he soon submerged his full body into the waters.

... Huh, that wasn't so bad. Now that he was in the bath, he realised how incredibly _relaxing_ it was and the miraculous things the hot springs were doing to his tense muscles. It was just a matter of getting used to, he supposed. And that cold air against his face…

" _Ahhhh…_ I could get used to this," he sighed in bliss, leaning his back against the edge as he observed the scenery before him. Now he understood Phoenix's eagerness to run out naked in the middle of December to take a bath. The combination of hot and cold was addictive. He himself didn't want to get out.

Phoenix chuckled and swam up next to him, "Are you sure you're ok? That was – he resisted a smug smirk – a lot of blood."

"And whose fault was that?" came the wry reply and he didn't need to look to know that Apollo was pouting.

"Well, I'm not the one who gets so easily embarrassed… Or so perverted."

"M-Mr. Wright!"

"You bet I am," Phoenix chuckled at his own joke as he dodged a splash aimed his way.

Apollo huffed and rolled his eyes. "Oh, _real mature,_ old man."

But that predictable blush was on in seconds, and Phoenix had no desire to torment his lover any further. Instead, he sidled up against Apollo, the water sloshing between their bodies. He wrapped his arms around the younger man's waist underwater and leaned his cheek against Apollo's strong, broad chest so that he could hear his beating heart. Phoenix heard it race all of a sudden and smiled contently, his own cheeks turning pink, though he wasn't sure if it was from shyness or the heat from the bath.

Phoenix loved this. Away from the prying eyes of the city, having to hide their relationship from family and friends… this was freedom – a piece of heaven in the palm of his hand. Despite the many promises they whispered to each other in between loving kisses and warm embraces, Phoenix hadn't really been honest with Apollo. He allowed the boy to fall in love with him and vice versa, but he never once told him the truth. And now, as the hands of an invisible clock counted down their fate, Phoenix still refused to give this up… even if this sort of relationship wasn't healthy.

' _I don't believe it… a son, and a daughter. My children…'_

' _Are you going to tell them?'_

' _When the moment is right, I will… Could you look after them for me a little longer?'_

More than anything, he longed to stop time.

When he felt a finger tilt his chin up and Apollo's lips claim his, greedy yet affectionate, he surrendered himself to the inevitable. It was a superficial escape, a temporary victory, but he had succeeded in stopping time for as long as time would allow it. As Apollo cradled him in his arms, Phoenix held fast, returning the kiss with a silent desperation and an inherent sadness. But Apollo didn't sense it and Phoenix clung on, wishing, _dreaming_ they could stay like this forever.

* * *

The room was silent save the hushed breathing of two lovers, completely relaxed and mutually living for the presence of the other. Smoke rose into the air; a slight chill ghosted across the room from the open window and slightly parted rice paper door to the side. A _sake_ bottle and a pair of saucers lay inconspicuously on the _kotatsu._ Apollo, with the front his _yukata_ hanging open, took another lazy drag from the _kiseru._ More smoke rose up. The fingers of his free hand continued to stroke and thread lovingly through Phoenix's hair. Stretched out across the floor, said man closed his eyes in bliss, his head resting comfortably on Apollo's lap, vulnerable to his lover's command.

Night had fallen; their bodies were relaxed from the effects of the hot springs and neither men desired to move from their current position. Directly under them was the lounge; the voice of the inn's _Enka_ singer, sorrowful and full of longing, carried through the floorboards.

 _The blue town, covered in snow  
In that tense atmosphere  
I exchanged my first promise with him  
Ah, the one I'm promised to_

Phoenix raised his head, poured Apollo another round of _sake_ and lowered it once more. He already drank his fill for the night. Murmuring a quiet "thank you", Apollo raised the saucer and downed the drink in a single gulp. Then, he returned to smoking the _kiseru._ He was the image of elegant nonchalance and Phoenix thought he looked exceptionally cool and mysterious like that time during the HAT-2 incident... but the warmth of Apollo's body reminded him that those dark days had passed and that he was inherently loyal and kind.

His protégé reached for the _sake_ bottle. Phoenix remarked casually that his capacity for alcohol was shockingly impressive and that if Apollo wasn't careful – he reached up to slide a finger teasingly down his lover's exposed chest – he couldn't possibly be held accountable for his subsequent actions. Apollo's cheeks hadn't been red then; they were now.

 _He's kind and warm and easily embarrassed  
My frozen cheeks slackened  
And I forgot the pain of frostbite  
_

"That's enough," said Phoenix with the kind patience of a parent. He sat up and plucked the slender pipe from Apollo's grasp. "You shouldn't smoke so much – he confiscated the _sake_ – or drink so much. You might get addicted, and you're my responsibility."

Apollo glared at him in protest, but they both knew it was without any real malice.

"For the last time – I'm not a kid, Mr. Wright. I'm 24."

Phoenix chuckled lowly, took a long, sensual drag from the _kiseru_ and blew a puff of smoke in Apollo's face. The latter barely batted an eyelid. Feisty. Phoenix's eyes darkened with desire as he leaned closer.

"Oh? Well, Mr. Justice, let's see your proof."

It happened in a rush of heat and noise. Apollo smashed his lips against his and they crashed onto the floor in a tangle of fabric and limbs. Phoenix struggled against the assault, but it was only for show - Apollo liked that; it fueled his confidence. Hands tugged at his _yukata_ mercilessly; he felt a knee force itself between his legs; lips and teeth against his neck; Apollo's hands everywhere...

Every sensual caress, every pleasurable moan reminded Phoenix of Apollo's sincere devotion, which in turn reminded him of his own dishonesty. Would Apollo still love him if he told him the truth? Would their relationship change? The image of his protege walking out on him was too much to bear, and so he would continue to betray him, at least until he was caught. Phoenix smiled into the kiss.

 _Eternal home, that's an impossible dream  
Staying with me will only bring him bad luck  
Eternal home, eternal home, eternal home_

His _yukata_ splayed open shamelessly, his bare shoulders, torso and effectively his entire body exposed and vulnerable to Apollo's penetrating stare. Phoenix blushed under his scrutiny like a young virgin bride on her wedding night. They've done this a hundred times, but every time felt like a first time and though embarrassing, they always felt right and oh so wonderful. Usually, they had to tread on ice because of Trucy. There was also a limit to the number of times he could visit Apollo's apartment before the neighbors started talking.

"Apollo…" he keened in want, his eyes practically _begging_ his young lover to touch him.

Oh yes – this place, this night, this moment: it was paradise.

Apollo's fingers ghosted across smooth and sensitized flesh, teasingly and intentionally avoiding Phoenix's pink nipples, and got a rise from the goosebumps that appeared on his flesh. Then, he lowered himself to the point where Phoenix's _yukata_ closed at the legs and nuzzled the slit apart to plant soft kisses and affectionate nips on his inner thighs. A quiet moan passed through Phoenix's lips; but when Apollo's hand suddenly surged past the folds to grab his hard, dripping cock, his eyes shot open and he had to bite his own finger to stifle his scream. Apollo chuckled, eyes gleaming in the dark.

"Oh Mr. Wright, you're so lewd…"

His body was Apollo's sole property. It was an undisputed fact.

 _Pink skin, my pounding heart  
As the steam rises  
I fall in love for the first time to the one I'm promised to  
Ah, the one I'm promised to_

Apollo cradled Phoenix's pliant body with one hand while the other continued its assault beneath the _yukata_ , pumping the latter's cock, his hand growing slick from all the precum. Their tongues fought for dominance; their lips hungry and insistent. Phoenix moaned and whimpered into Apollo's mouth, fingers digging into the skin of the younger one's shoulders and leaving little red crescent marks. His face was thoroughly flushed and his breaths came out in short quick pants, filling up the room in deafening echoes. He could hear himself, so helplessly wanton, and the humiliation heightened his excitement.

Apollo's pace increased. Phoenix trembled violently in his hold. Each rough stroke of his cock sent him into a frenzy and pushed him closer and closer to the edge. He began to squirm and tense up. And when the heat became unbearable, he ripped his lips from Apollo's and met his dark, sexy gaze with his own pleasure-filled one. The beginnings of tears pricked at his eyes.

The heat… all that stimulation… those eyes on him… It was too much.

"A-Apollo… No more… I-I c-can't… Apollo, please…"

 _I'm going to come._

Apollo, in his own pleasure-filled haze, continued with his ministrations with an impassioned frenzy. He loved seeing his mentor like this – so loose, willing, coming completely undone under his hands…

He stopped.

Phoenix's body slackened against him, panting heavier than ever. His cheeks were flushed so prettily; his thighs trembled; and his eyes were shut as if afraid the mere act of opening them, of the slightest movement, would fulfill the deed and send him over the edge.

Lovingly, Apollo reached down to caress his cheek. He watched with unabashed fascination as Phoenix fought to calm himself down. He studied him closely: the rise and fall of his chest; the way his eyebrows knotted from the conflation of relief and disappointment; the sensual glow of his smooth thighs; the dark lashes that dusted his cheeks; the sharp and handsome curve of his face…

"We can't have you coming yet, can we?" said Apollo with a leer, which drew forth a low moan from Phoenix.

He lowered the beautiful man onto the _futon_ and straddled his waist, never once taking his eyes off his face. He liked to watch Phoenix – his positive qualities, his private self, his strengths and flaws – and he considered his current position a privilege like no other. And then, hesitantly, Phoenix opened his eyes. Dark brown met enchanting blue, and the spell was cast.

Phoenix smiled and reached up to him like a child demanding love and tenderness. The tips of his fingers touched his face. Apollo felt drunk.

 _He's kind and warm and sort of unreliable  
Have I stayed too long in the bath?  
I don't feel dizzy  
_

He took his time to observe Phoenix; how his current vulnerability and promiscuous behavior betrayed his respectable profession. He could have snorted at that. _Respectable._ His boss had lived the life of a hobo for seven years and he punched him for it. He regretted it after though. Then again, who would have thought that a single hit would bring them to where they were now –

"I love you."

Apollo's world stopped.

Three simple words, but they meant the world to him. Of all the times they made love, swapped kisses; Phoenix never once told him he loved him. And those words, uttered so quietly like the flutter of a butterfly's wings, was the trigger that broke Apollo's final reserve and sent him crashing down into the beckoning flames of euphoria.

 _I need him now._

He threw open his _yukata_ , lifted Phoenix's thighs over his shoulders and thrust in hard and deep.

 _Eternal home, that's an impossible dream  
Staying with me will only bring him bad luck  
Eternal home, he says he doesn't mind  
My right hand feels hot after hitting him  
Eternal home, that's an eternal home_

Phoenix cried out, but the more he screamed the harder and faster Apollo's thrusts became.

Overtime, the sensation grew immensely pleasurable and Phoenix wrapped his arms around the younger one's neck, begging, sobbing, gasping and moaning for more; for Apollo to have mercy; to not stop. With Apollo ramming into him over and over like an animal, Phoenix could do nothing more but toss his head and shout his lover's name in pure exaltation. More precum dripped down his member and it throbbed painfully. The _Enka_ singer's song grew in its intensity. He felt like he was going to explode. He was so close...

"F-fuck… _Mr. Wright_ …"

"Apollo…"

The room echoed with the sounds of their lovemaking: grunts, pants, pleasure-induced cries, and the slapping of skin against skin. Phoenix's touches felt so hot. His moans were like the sweetest of melodies. No matter how many times he fucked his boss, he was always so tight…

Suddenly, Apollo felt Phoenix clench around him and with a strangled grunt, he forced the man further onto his back, pushed his thighs as far as they would go, and pounded into him desperately. They were just barely hanging on edge and it was his job to send them both over it.

"Ah… Apollo… h-hurry… I c-can't… _Apollo!_ "

" _Phoenix…"_

His eyes widened; that was the first time Apollo ever called him by his name.

And no later than that, the brunette climaxed.

It was an accumulation of the senses. Phoenix felt hot wetness rush through his ass, filling him up completely; heard Apollo's shout; his possessive embrace; relived the way he had growled his name and bit into his neck before his release - they were all too much for him. A blinding white exploded before his eyes and he screamed until he was spent. Cum pooled at his bare chest and soaked the seams of his _yukata._

It was the longest, most powerful orgasm Phoenix had experienced in his entire life.

 _Eternal home, that's an impossible dream  
Staying with me will only bring him bad luck  
Eternal home, he says he doesn't mind  
My right hand feels hot after hitting him  
_

The moon peeked out from behind the clouds and it's ethereal glow streamed in through the open window. The faint light landed on the pair of warm bodies nestled, silent and intimate, beneath the covers of two _futons_ pushed side by side. A candlewick burned somewhere in the shadows, it's flame flicking from the cold air that blew in at occasional intervals.

Apollo was sound asleep, his chest rising and falling to the time of his breaths, a frown on his face. A hand reached out to gently smoothen out the wrinkles on his brow with its fingers. Phoenix continued to watch his protégé sleep, a content smile on his face. Even in his dreams Apollo was so uptight – it was both amusing and endearing. His hand moved to stroke his lover's cheek, before he laid his head back down onto the pillow.

One day had already gone by… Then tomorrow two days… Then the day after that…

'Life would return to normal, and I'll have to lie to him all over again,' Phoenix thought, and was immediately horrified by it. Sorrowful. Guilty.

Again, he longed to stop time.

He wanted them to stay like this forever.

His left hand crept across the sheets to grasp Apollo's right one and the latter in turn, even in his unconscious, held his instinctively. The look of surprise on Phoenix's face shifted into one of pure love. He held on tighter. A cold wind blew in and snuffed out the light.

 _That's an eternal home...  
Staying with me...  
My right hand hit..._

* * *

 **Author's note:  
**

This chapter was largely inspired by Megumi Hayashibara's song, "Towaie". I highly recommend listening to it if you wish to know the overall mood, or if you're a fan of her music. It was also my first time attempting a sort of songfic, though I made sure not to let the lyrics overwhelm the writing. I hope it was ok!

Anyway, if you're curious, here's the link to the song: http*:**/**/*www*.*dailymotion*.*com*/*video*/*x2rwl6u (Just remove the asterix!)

I'm also still taking prompts/requests, so don't hesitate to pop a message or leave it in your review! I admit, I'm steadily running low on ideas lol. And don't worry, I swear I don't bite... unless that's your kind of thing ;p


	4. Devil

**Author's note:**

Thanks for the follows and favs! I'm back with a new update and this time, it features more than just Apollo/Phoenix, as well as references from previous ace attorney games.

 **Warning:** This chapter contains graphic sexual content, heavy angst, and mentions of rape/sexual abuse. If you're uncomfortable with stuff like this, please turn back.

* * *

 **20 Kisses: Hero Worship**

 **by Dark Interval**

 **Fourth Kiss: Devil**

* * *

" _Turn around."_

 _A simple command._ _It was a voice as rich and deep as velvet. The kind that beckoned people to listen, to listen longer, and more often than not – many have confessed – to listen forever. It eliminated the dichotomy between right and wrong, light and darkness. It disguised a call for complete obedience with sex. It was a trust of seven years built and broken._

" _On your hands and knees."_

 _And against his better judgment, Phoenix complied, unquestionably so._

 _The silken bed sheets, though soft and smooth, provided him no sense of comfort or pleasure. The broad and toned chest against his naked back radiated heat, but he felt so cold. A knee nudged his legs apart, while a pair of hands descended to caress his ass with deceptive affection. A lock of blonde hair tickled the area between his shoulder blades. Then, those hands pried his butt cheeks apart and a wet tongue teased and prodded his entrance. He felt a finger enter him… then two… and three… They thrust and stretched him excessively. Dry. Rough. Uncaring._ _It hurt, and he knew the man meant for him to bleed._

 _He bit into the pillow, eyes brimming with tears, but he refused to give in, to fall further. Once upon a time, this man was his world. He was devoted, reliable, dependable and kind. His touch was warm and assuring; his smile sincere, his intellect charming and his presence magnetic; and his gentle cerulean eyes seemed so approachable despite the mysterious gleam of his spectacles. This man had been there for him during his darkest years. He was beautiful and Phoenix loved him._

 _But not anymore._

 _The man behind him chuckled, unsympathetic, "How the proud have fallen… And what's more, I barely had to lift a finger. You walked right into my hands."_

 _Phoenix's eyes shot open and he jerked forward in a silent scream when the man fully entered him without so much as a warning. It was raw, void of compassion, and he felt like he was going to die._

" _So trusting."_

 _The man pulled out and thrust back in mercilessly, repeatedly, with a burning vengeance._

" _So blind."_

 _Long, slender fingers – so gentle and loving in the past – wrapped around his throat in a choking hold. Old bruises yet healed were further aggravated and new ones immediately joined them in their place. They pressed down harder with every thrust. His lungs burned. Phoenix cried harder and the man laughed, laughed loud and cruel and unforgiving. And still, the fucking continued, the man's hips slamming mercilessly against Phoenix's ass; his cock buried in the latter's tight passage, balls-deep._

" _S-Stop… Please stop! It hurts!"_

 _But his broken sobs fell on deaf ears and he felt teeth clamp down on his shoulder, drag mercilessly across split flesh, drawing blood. They ran over old scars, freshly reopened cuts. Phoenix opened his mouth to scream, but a pair of fingers shoved themselves down his throat. They tasted of blood and cum, and he almost gagged. Saliva trailed from his mouth down the man's hand. He couldn't speak a word, so he settled for crying instead. His body was ruined. It had been for a long time._

" _It hurts, does it?" The man broke off into a wicked grin that betrayed the gentle kindness of his voice. "Good."_

 _The pressure around Phoenix's throat tightened. The fucking turned savage. Blood trickled from his ass down between his thighs. He screamed and he screamed, but no one could hear him. It was getting harder to breathe._

" _Remember what you told me; about what Miss Hawthorne said? Why would anyone love someone so useless and pathetic like you – and you know what? She was right."_

 _He had made a mistake._

" _You're a fool, Phoenix."_

 _He mistook this man for an angel._

" _And you always will be."_

 _Phoenix forced his gaze up to the mirror before him; but it wasn't the image of their naked bodies that he noticed first. There, in the mirror's reflection, haunting and cruel, he saw the devil._

* * *

" _GET AWAY FROM ME!"_

"Aaaaaargghhhh!"

Apollo shot out of bed and quickly switched on the lamp.

"What in the world – _Mr. Wright!_ " He glared irritably at his sleeping partner, unruly hair, red eyes and all. "Are you out of your mind?! It's – he spared a quick glance at the bedside clock – 4.30 in the morning! And you almost gave me a heart attack!"

He stopped yelling though when he noticed his complaints were met with silence. Phoenix had withdrawn into himself and scooted to the edge of the bed (which wasn't really that far since they were sharing Apollo's single mattress), his arms wrapped around his knees as he visibly trembled. His eyes were wide, hollow and haunted; tears flowed freely down his pale cheeks. He cried silently, openly, but try as he might, he couldn't get the dark images of the devil out of his mind. They were engraved permanently into his brain along with that cruel laughter and deceiving smile.

"D-D-Devil… stop… please… it hurts… _It hurts..._ "

Apollo observed his mentor with growing concern, all thoughts of sleep fading in an instant. Phoenix was scaring him and watching the senior attorney breakdown before his very eyes was as heartbreaking as it was frightfully alarming. When he had invited Phoenix to stay (the office heater had broken and there was no way he was going to allow his lover to freeze to death; Athena meanwhile, offered to house Trucy) he expected having to deal with some undesirable living habits, maybe a few kicks during his sleep, but never night terrors, especially one as bad as this. Also, it never once occurred to him that Phoenix could have nightmares. He was always so happy, so hopelessly carefree…

He crawled towards Phoenix and reached for him tentatively.

"Hey, Mr. Wright? Hey… It's ok… Everything's fine. It was just a bad –"

"Please, Kristoph…"

Apollo's hand paused an inch from Phoenix's shoulder. The latter was still visibly shaken, but he couldn't bring himself to close the distance between them. Kristoph Gavin? Why was Phoenix dreaming about his old mentor/boss? He thought they had both locked away that dark part of Phoenix's past and threw away the key for good… Apparently, he was mistaken.

It suddenly occurred to him that he had no idea what sort of relationship his old boss and Phoenix used to share. Kristoph always kept his work and private life separate from each other, and he had only ever seen Phoenix in 'Gavin Law Offices' on Friday nights when the latter came to pick up Kristoph for dinner, reminded him to _have dinner,_ sometimes even _packed_ him dinner _._ The two had been close, intimate to be precise. He wondered what secrets Phoenix was keeping from him. Had they been romantically involved? Did it turn ugly? Could that be the explanation for all the old scars and bruises Phoenix kept hidden beneath the thick layers of his old hoodie? Was it Kristoph's doing? Were they intentional? Was Phoenix into this sort of thing? But that didn't explain his initial fear of sex when they first started dating.

Apollo knew he was feeling insecure; but what sort of effect could a madman behind bars have on Phoenix, you ask? Well, that was what he wanted to know. At the same time, Kristoph was his old mentor; he learnt a lot from him; but despite that petty revenge of his that spiraled out of control, he had a good heart beneath all that hatred and spite. He had to; otherwise taking up law in the first place would have been terribly superfluous… right?

Suddenly, Apollo wasn't so sure anymore and he inwardly cursed Phoenix for sowing this seed of doubt within him. If Kristoph had been Phoenix's ex, why didn't he say anything?

"S-Sorry, Apollo," Phoenix sniffed, "please don't think too much about it." He flashed Apollo a hesitant smile. "Go back to bed. I'll be ok."

That plea lacked conviction and Apollo sighed and shut his eyes momentarily. As if he could fall asleep after all that! He scooted over to settle behind the older male and wrapped his arms around Phoenix's waist, fingers creeping beneath the material of the man's cotton tee to stroke his abdomen in what he hoped to be a comforting gesture. Then, tugging Phoenix against his chest, Apollo placed a chaste kiss upon his forehead and muttered an irritate yet affectionate, "Idiot."

Phoenix smiled through his tears. It was returned, albeit half-heartedly. Apollo gently thumbed them away and with a shuddering breath that did not quite mask his hurt and uncertainty, asked, "Do you still love him?"

Wide blue eyes gazed up at him, startled and confused.

"Who?"

"Mr. Gavin."

Phoenix blinked slowly – once, twice, three times. Hold it, did Apollo think that… _No._

"Objection," he whispered, cupping the younger one's cheeks tenderly, lifting his gaze to meet his. "If I loved Kristoph, I would have taken the fall for him. I chose _you,_ Apollo."

"Mr. Wright, I…"

Lips, soft and warm, descended upon his and Apollo closed his eyes, submitting to his idol's ministrations, desperately gaining whatever shred of assurance he could get from Phoenix's love. Phoenix gently pushed him onto the downy mattress, his lips massaging the younger's slowly, sensually, giving Apollo all the attention in the world like he was the only one who mattered; like he was the only one who existed. A pink tongue snaked out to prod encouragingly at Apollo's lips and he parted them with ease, moaning along with his mentor as their tongues teased and danced with each other in unrestrained passion. Fingers gripped his head and dug into his hair, musing up the brown tresses as they continued to kiss – demanding, fervent and full of desire. Apollo reached up and wrapped his arms around Phoenix's waist under his tee, nearly groaning at the feel of how hot Phoenix's skin felt. His mentor's skilled tongue drew his own into his mouth and sucked on it with burning enthusiasm. He whimpered and Phoenix chuckled. Apollo's face turned slightly red.

 _Oh God, was he really that predictable?_

Phoenix was straddling him now; his hands running from Apollo's hair down to greedily map out the expanse of his incredibly fit and toned chest. His protégé tended to sleep shirtless and believe him, no one appreciated that habit more than him. He ran his fingers across hard muscle, marveling at the way they shuddered and relaxed under his touch. He ghosted over pert nipples, washboard abs. The texture was divine. Apollo's body was gorgeous. Himself on the other hand – well, he wasn't exactly unfit (he had quite the body himself), but he was getting a _little_ pudgy from age… Nevertheless, Apollo claimed it made him look adorable and he loved him for it just as much as he loved everything about Phoenix.

The mere thought of being on the receiving end of all that raw passion made Phoenix openly groan. Apollo was so different from Kristoph. There was just something incredibly sexy about his eagerness and honesty, his blushing and fumbling, his desperation and possessiveness… it made Phoenix feel completely and constantly desired. It was erotic. Apollo loved and treated him differently and Phoenix _yearned_ for his warmth. Some time ago, he made a snide comment about Juniper treating Apollo like some sort of god. Now, he was beginning to see him in the same light.

He couldn't take it anymore.

"I want you, Apollo…"

It was desperation at its best – shameless, breathy and lewd. Phoenix guided Apollo's hand to his hardening cock beneath his boxers, uncaring how his risqué behavior made him look in front of his protégé. He gazed at his young lover through foggy, half-lidded eyes, his cheeks flushed, panting heavily. Rutting shamelessly against Apollo's hand like a bitch in heat, he repeated his lover's name like a mantra and Apollo crimsoned like a rose.

'Shit, Mr. Wright feels _so good…_ '

He stroked him through the fabric of his boxers and Phoenix gasped and threw back his head in a loud, drawn-out moan. Apollo too felt himself become excited.

'And he _looks_ sexy as hell too.'

But the sudden memory of his mentor's nightmare and Kristoph's name on his lips jolted him from his aroused state. Phoenix was distracting him on purpose and there was no way in hell he was going to let him slip through his fingers… even if he was doing a _really_ good job seducing him.

Catching his idol off guard, Apollo grabbed him and flipped their positions, pinning the man's wrists against the pillow on either side of his head. Phoenix gasped, but his surprise and excitement quickly ebbed away when he realised Apollo wasn't going to pick up on his earlier advances and was instead staring down at him with big determined eyes and a clenched jaw. For a whole minute, no one did or said anything. Phoenix's neglected cock strained against his boxers. He tried to angle his hips upwards to regain some delicious friction, but to no avail; Apollo held him down firmly.

 _What the hell's up with him?_ Phoenix scowled and was just about to demand an explanation from the brunette when Apollo finally spoke.

"You can't lie to me, Mr. Wright. You know that better than anyone."

"What the heck are you talking about?"

"It's sweet that you chose me – in a perfect world that is," Apollo pressed on, conviction rising. "But we're not in a perfect world, and I _know_ you're not completely over Mr. Gavin, are you?"

"Apollo, you –"

" _Are you?!"_

Phoenix spared a quick glance at Apollo's bracelet gleaming under the moonlight and lowered his gaze guiltily. The intensity of Apollo's tone softened, but his grip around Phoenix's wrists never once relented, an indication that he took the matter at hand very seriously.

"As your – he hesitated briefly – b-boyfriend, I believe I have the right to know about your… exes," he muttered uncomfortably and Phoenix would have considered it cute if he wasn't feeling so terrible inside.

"Now, answer me again – and look me in the eye this time – are you in love with Mr. Gavin?"

Although Apollo's voice remained even, he looked hurt and betrayed, and Phoenix immediately hated himself for it. More than anything, he did not want Apollo to think of himself as Kristoph's replacement. He _wasn't_ and he _never will be._ But Apollo always wore his heart on his sleeve and this realization must really be killing him.

 _Especially when he's done nothing but devote himself entirely to me._

Phoenix shut his eyes with a resigned sigh. Despite how much the past eight years continued to hurt, Apollo deserved to know the truth. He deserved to hear it from his own mouth.

"I loved him once."

His confession pierced straight through Apollo's heart and the younger one shook, his hold around Phoenix's wrists tightening. He'd guessed right, but why did it hurt so much to hear it directly? After all he did, the sacrifices he made and everything they'd been through together, was he going to lose Phoenix to a ghost? This was ludicrous. It was bloody ridiculous he almost felt like crying.

"I loved him once," Phoenix repeated, the pain Apollo was experiencing clearly reflected in his own eyes. "But along the way, I stopped… because I was a fool."

Apollo paused to blink at Phoenix dumbly. _Wait, he stopped? That means…_ What _did_ it mean? With a thumb and forefinger, he raised the older male's chin and gasped at the sight of his sorrowful smile. Immediately, he forgot his own grief. That forlorn expression spoke volumes: it told of love and loss; of sacrifice and rejection; of unrequited devotion and despair. Just seeing that sad smile on Phoenix's beautiful face made him want to forget everything, hold onto said man, love him and whisper tender assurances that everything was alright.

"What happened?"

"I grew suspicious of him during our time together, before I finally uncovered the truth," Phoenix replied flatly, but Apollo could see the immense agony swirling in his eyes. "I didn't want to believe it, but it was staring at me in the face. He used me, Apollo. He'd been using me for seven years."

Phoenix smirked and turned his face away to avoid Apollo's penetrating stare. He would lose his resolve if he didn't.

"After his trial and conviction, I visited him. I always visited him. On the first day, he asked why I came – to laugh and scorn him perhaps? I said I came because I needed to. He asked again. I said because I loved him. Do you know what he did?"

"..."

"Come on, Apollo. He was your mentor. Take a guess."

But the forced humor in his tone prevented Apollo from saying anything. He felt bile rise up his throat. Phoenix was suffering.

"He _laughed_. It was the coldest, cruelest laugh I ever heard, more horrifying than the one that echoed around the courtroom during that final verdict. It was so loud, he probably couldn't hear my heart breaking."

Phoenix didn't even realize he was crying until he felt Apollo release his wrists to lovingly wipe away his tears. They kept flowing though, seemingly endless, but Apollo remained vigilant and Phoenix loved him even more for it. He loved Apollo more with each passing day, and that was what frightened him. It was unbearable: the more he loved, the more fear he felt in his heart. He had been deceived and betrayed more than once, his heart completely shattered one time too many, and if history were to repeat itself with Apollo – well, something told him he wouldn't have the strength to put all the broken pieces back together again.

' _Oh, Feenie… Why would anyone love someone as unreliable and stupid as you?'_

' _You're a fool, Phoenix… And you always will be.'_

The devil flashed before his eyes and Phoenix finally broke. He launched himself at Apollo and clung onto him desperately, frightened eyes gazing down into wide brown irises. He tentatively cupped his young lover's cheeks with the tips of his fingers and breathed against his parted lips. And in a tiny, broken voice that Apollo didn't even recognize, he whispered the words:

"I'm scared…"

That sent alarm bells ringing in Apollo's head. _Trauma._ Quickly, he reached for Phoenix's hands and held them between his own. They were as cold as ice. Phoenix was trembling so badly, it took a while for Apollo to actually calm him down. Now, it was his turn to feel guilty. If he had known that bringing up Kristoph would put Phoenix through so much pain, he never would have pushed him.

"What are you afraid of, Mr. Wright?" he asked gently, cradling Phoenix protectively against his chest.

For a whole minute, he received no reply and just when he thought he needed to devise another approach, Phoenix finally spoke. However, it wasn't exactly the answer he had in mind.

"You."

Apollo's breath stopped short and he almost pushed his boyfriend away. That one word pervaded his senses in deafening echoes; shook him and haunted his very consciousness. _Me?! But… How?_ He could never hurt Phoenix. He wasn't Kristoph. It was like his worst nightmare coming true and the devil wore his face.

"Mr. Wright, have I done anything to cause you doubt?"

To his great mystification, Phoenix shook his head.

"No… but I wouldn't know. I never do. I'm naive and ignorant after all."

Apollo's fists clenched. Enough was enough. If he had to hear Phoenix talk down to himself _one more time_...

"Dahlia said I was stupid and useless and no one would ever love a pathetic guy like me," continued Phoenix, head bowed, voice sad and defeated. It didn't occur to him that Apollo probably had no idea who or what he was talking about.

"Kristoph agreed, you know. He told me during one of my visits to his cell." He smiled, but it lacked any shred of happiness. Instead, it was lonely and hollow, like a jaded man who had given up all hope. He didn't even know if he was talking to Apollo or himself.

"But when it all started – when it always starts – they said they cared about me, loved me, and no matter what they did or said to me after, I would always believe them. I believed until the very end, even if it hurt so much…" He chuckled darkly, hiding his tears behind his hand. "I was a joke, but at least I was good for some laughs –"

" _OBJECTION!"_

Apollo slammed his palms against the wall, trapping a startled Phoenix between them. He did it with such ferocity, the shock actually got Phoenix to stop crying. As Apollo gazed into his lover's wide, unblinking eyes filled with unshed tears, he grew angry – not at Phoenix, but at the two very people who continued to haunt him and brought him so much despair. Phoenix was loyal, brave, kind, earnest, diligent, adorable, _wonderful…_ and how anyone failed to see or appreciate that was frankly not worth his tears. And so, Apollo intended to show him just that.

"Mr. Wright – no, Phoenix, _listen,_ " he said in a firm yet comforting voice as he wrapped his arms around the nervous man and pulled him close. "They're gone now, along with their words. They can't hurt you anymore."

"But you can," Phoenix mumbled fearfully, peeking up at Apollo from against his chest. He resembled a lost child. "You'll turn into the devil someday and I'll be all alone…"

Apollo sighed and rested his forehead against Phoenix's, addressing him patiently like a parent, "My hair might look like a pair of horns, but I promise you – I'm no devil. What Mr. Gavin did to you was unforgivable and I can say that confidently because I love you, Phoenix… I love you so much."

Apollo's eyes were soft, warm and full of love. Phoenix felt his walls crumble.

"R-Really?"

Apollo rolled his eyes. "If I didn't, I would've left by now – believe me."

He tenderly caressed and cupped Phoenix's tear-stained cheeks, before flashing him a dorky grin.

"Just tell me what I can do to prove it and I will! I'll work hard to convince you, even if it takes me years! We'll raise Trucy together! I'll chip in with the rent! I'll take on more cases and other jobs if I have to! I'll even do toilets! And I'll still have the energy and time to take you out on dates! You can count on me, sir! It'll be fine, you'll see! Because I'm Apollo Justice and I'm –"

" _Noisy!"_ Phoenix hissed, shushing him, but his frown soon melted away and he started giggling. Oh, what did it matter? Apollo would normally wake up around this time to practice his 'Chords of Steel' anyway. What an odd, handful of a man. Then again, Phoenix loved every bit of him and he wouldn't have him any other way.

As Phoenix laughed, Apollo smiled at the wonderful sight. Yes, a smiling, happy, carefree Phoenix certainly suited him best.

The older attorney let out one last tiny giggle before sighing dreamily, eyes on the handsome young man who had turned his life around in more ways than one.

"Well then, I'm prepared to deliver my verdict." He leaned down to kiss him, soft and affectionate, and when Apollo returned his kiss, it made his heart swell with pure love and joy.

"I declare Apollo Justice not guilty… and a man of his word."

He closed the distance between their lips again. And again. And over and over again until they were both breathless.

When their lungs demanded for air, Phoenix pulled away to rest his forehead against Apollo's, gazing deeply into the pair of charismatic, adoring brown eyes that had so effortlessly stolen his heart upon first sight. They had looked at him a year ago in 'Gavin Law Offices' and it gave him the strength and courage to walk away from Kristoph's shadow for good.

"I love you, Apollo." And he meant every word. "Don't ever doubt me."

"Never."

Apollo surged forward to reclaim Phoenix's lips, hot and insistent. It was impossible to get enough of Phoenix and once either of them got started, the idea of stopping proved unbearable. Apollo was all fired up and after that whole deal with the devil, he was ready to convert that passion and frustration into something far more… _productive._ Besides, he hadn't forgotten how _good_ Phoenix felt beneath those boxers and he _really_ missed his early morning company, if you got the drift.

"A-Apollo, wait! Isn't it too early for – _Uwah!_ "

But whatever Phoenix wanted to say transitioned into a bright red blush when Apollo tackled him onto the bed and hooked his fingers at the waistband of his boxers to tug them down.

"H-Hold on just a sec!" He stammered, embarrassed, his hands flying to cover his privates. But Apollo wasn't having any of his mentor's shyness and pried them away, bringing those slender fingers to his mouth to lick and suck on them teasingly, languidly. He never took his eyes off him. Phoenix blushed prettily; his whole body felt like it was on fire.

"Apollo…"

He tugged his hands free from that hot mouth and reached down in an attempt to pleasure his protégé himself, to let Apollo feel as good as he felt, only to have his efforts thwarted when said attorney grabbed his wrists and pinned them above his head. Apollo tsked with a shake of his head, eyes narrowed into an evil leer.

"Tut, tut, Mr. Wright. I said I'd work hard to prove my worth, didn't I?"

"But –"

"Just relax... You'll need it because I'm going to fuck you so hard, you'll be _begging_ for me to stop."

Straddling him, Apollo leaned over to capture his lips in a full, sensual, toe-curling kiss, teeth, tongue and all. Phoenix moaned and allowed his eyes to drift shut, simply feeling and giving in. Apollo slowly pulled away and looked down. The way his mentor lay sprawled out beneath him, helpless; fully submitting his body and soul to him; _begging_ him with his voice and those big blue eyes to do more... Apollo could have cum right there and then.

 _He's so cute._

His gaze traveled downwards and he smirked. Speaking of cumming…

"Oh, Mr. Wright, what's this?" he teased before blowing lightly on the tip of his lover's cock. It throbbed painfully and a drop of precum slid down its length. "I haven't even touched you yet and you look ready to burst…"

Phoenix whimpered and turned his head to press his face against the pillow in shame. It wasn't his fault. The kid was like an aphrodisiac. It was like his body was reacting to Apollo all on its own.

Pulling up his lover's white cotton tee, Apollo dipped down to swirl his tongue around a small pink nipple and Phoenix arched his back to get that precious hot contact he so desperately craved, for his neglected cock to get some needed friction. But his protégé was an evil tease and just when Phoenix thought he got a good form going, Apollo pulled away and arched his body as far from Phoenix's as possible. His eyes were laughing while Phoenix bit back a sob of frustration.

"P-Please, Apollo… Touch me… _please…!"_

"Do you still visit him?"

He bit back a loud moan. Gods, Apollo was _killing him!_ It took a while for Phoenix's pleasure-filled brain to comprehend the context of that question, but when he finally figured it out, he chose to be honest.

"Once a week," he paused to regard Apollo hesitantly, "but not anymore."

There was an unreadable expression on the brunette's face, before a mischievous smirk snaked its way across his lips. It was a mixture between relief and total smugness and it made Phoenix openly nervous.

"Good."

"Huh, huh? _W-Wait!"_

But Apollo was done waiting as he happily stripped Phoenix off his last bit of clothing and had his way with him all morning… or at least until Phoenix admitted defeat against his young lover's very impressive stamina.

When he finally came and Apollo entered him for the second time that hour, striking his sweet spot over and over, Phoenix shuddered from the over-stimulation and couldn't help but feel like he had been tricked into this somehow. _Oh gods,_ he hadn't recovered from his previous orgasm yet. But Apollo's cock felt _amazing…_ how he shoved it in and kept pounding into his ass… it was so big and he felt so full. It was heaven.

 _More_ … _need more…_

Apollo pulled out and suddenly thrust in all the way, hard and deep. Phoenix's eyes bulged and he screamed, saliva pooling from his mouth. That did it. He panted heavily; felt the pressure build up again; began moaning lewd phrases that would no doubt have Apollo smugly accuse him of being a pervert, but he didn't care. It was Apollo after all, and he could be shameless all he wanted. And then, he felt Apollo reach down to stroke his cock at a maddening pace as he continued to fuck him senseless.

Sensitive. Everywhere felt so sensitive. Phoenix tossed his head and his eyes rolled from the pleasure.

 _Gods, so good… feel so good…_

"Yes… _Yes…_ C-Cumming! Make me cum again!"

What was Apollo turning him into? He realised he didn't care anymore.

"Y-You love fucking me in the ass… right? Harder… _do it harder!_ "

Apollo groaned above him. Hearing his mentor break like that – it was more than he could take.

"Shit, Mr. Wright, I can't stop… You feel _so good…_ I can't… I'm cumming again!"

" _Wah!_ No way! W-Wait! Apollo – _No! Stop…!"_ But his final cry tapered off into a gurgled slur when he felt himself being filled up again.

Phoenix slumped against the mattress, gasping, trembling and thoroughly spent. _No more…_ He was already at his limit and his ass felt so full...

Apollo pulled out with a grunt and cum leaked out of Phoenix's ass to stain the sheets, his own ejaculation painted messily across his chest and stomach. Phoenix's eyes were glazed over from the pleasure, his mind far-gone. He reached down between his legs, fingers dipping past his entrance, before bringing them to his lips. They were coated with semen. He licked and sucked on them greedily, lapping up his lover's cum as he moaned, cheeks thoroughly flushed. Apollo watched the erotic spectacle, hypnotized. That was all him – not Kristoph, but his own cum flowing out of his idol's sweet hole and down his throat. It was fucking addictive and he was overcome by the urge to fill Phoenix up all over again, to make his idol _smell_ and _taste_ of him even when he wasn't around, to own every inch of his body both inside and out.

 _Mine._

Fighting to catch his breath, poor Phoenix didn't have long before Apollo grabbed him by the wrist and tugged him upright, shifting him onto all fours. When he came face-to-face with his lover's crotch, Phoenix groaned and immediately knew what he wanted.

"Mm… Apollo, please… no more… If I cum anymore, I'll die…"

"That's too bad, Mr. Wright," he said huskily as he held Phoenix in place by his hair, "because I'm not done with you yet."

Apollo nudged his cock between his lover's lips and despite his earlier protest; Phoenix instinctively took his entire length into his mouth. Apollo gasped, and Phoenix tasted both his protégé and himself on his tongue.

When the thrusting started, he released a low moan and sucked on Apollo like his very life depended on it. With one hand, he reached down to pleasure himself, while the fingers of his other hand reached around to prep himself. Not that he needed to do much, considering Apollo had stretched him plenty already within the last hour.

With a pleasured hiss, Apollo pulled out of Phoenix's warm, wet cavern; turned him around, pulled his wrists back and penetrated him for the third time. Phoenix arched his back with a cry, but otherwise didn't resist. As Apollo fucked him upright – bless the laws of gravity – Phoenix could do nothing but take it all in and moan helplessly in delirium. Riding Apollo's cock like this made it easier to strike his prostate and in this case, Phoenix didn't know if that was necessarily a good thing.

"Please, stop… It's too good… Please… I can't… No more… You feel so good… _so good -!"_

"You need to make up your mind, Mr. Wright."

Apollo tugged Phoenix's wrists further back, angled himself and thrust upwards swift and deep. Phoenix cried out. Apollo stopped and whispered sensually into his ear, "So, what's it going to be?"

Phoenix quivered.

"E-Enough… Apollo... I… I'm at my limit…"

"I told you to beg me to stop, didn't I?"

He let out a low moan from that implication. Apollo always sounded so sexy whenever he got like this, so passionate and assertive. The things his protégé made him say and do in the bedroom – it was humiliating, but it was such a turn on.

"Mr. Wright… if I don't hear you beg, I'm not going to stop."

Suddenly, Apollo started moving again and he tensed up.

"Y-You're hitting it… Stop… Moving… Please…! Your cock… Keeps making me c-cum… I can't take it anymore…! You're g-gonna make me lose my mind –!"

Apollo pounded repeatedly against his sweet spot and Phoenix squealed, tears of pleasure pricking his eyes.

" _Please…!_ Please… let me go… S-Seriously… you'll make me lose my mind!"

Apollo groaned and clung onto him tighter, moved his hips faster. He was so close.

"S-Sorry, sir… but I don't think I can stop after all!"

" _Apollo, you liar…!"_

It was times like these Phoenix wondered who the real devil was.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

Yes, I wrote some Kristoph/Phoenix and some yummy Apollo/Phoenix lemon for you guys because I'm a pervert like that. True, I feel kind of bad for making poor Phoenix suffer, but this premise has been on my mind since I completed the 3rd and 4th games. Gosh, I should really go to hell for this... lol. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this latest kiss - coughnotreallykissmorelikefuckcough - and look forward to the next update!

If you like my story, have some burning requests or prompts, please leave a review! I love reading what you guys have to say and any little amount of support really goes a long way.


	5. Language

**Author's note:**

This is NOT a Christmas-themed submission, but it's a present to my readers for the support this story has received thus far! Thank you for the 200 hits! Merry Christmas!

* * *

 **20 Kisses: Hero Worship**

 **by Dark Interval**

 **Fifth Kiss: Language**

* * *

"So… _why_ are we here again?"

Phoenix raised his hand to knock on the door of a certain prosecutor's office, while a cranky Apollo simmered up a storm next to him. Ok, maybe 'cranky' was an understatement – more like positively livid with a looming aura of death. If looks could kill, the door would have burned to ashes and Phoenix would have to bear the brunt of all damage costs. Also, the door was mahogany and mahogany was _expensive_ … like the rest of this office, he bet. Why did prosecutors always get the good stuff? Maybe he should have switched professions when Edgeworth offered after that DL-6 case...

"Mr. Wright, I'm leaving!"

Speaking of switching professions.

"Apollo, we've been through this," he said with a sigh of exasperation. They hadn't even _started_ yet and he already felt a headache coming on.

"If we're going to Germany to do research on their legal system, we're going to need to learn their language. And who better to teach us than –"

"Does it have to be _him?_ Can't we ask somebody else?"

"If you'd just put your petty rivalry aside for _one day_ –"

" _It's not petty!_ " Apollo screeched, only to catch himself as he folded his arms, a petulant grimace on his face. "And he's not my rival. He _wishes_ he could be my rival, that glimmerous fop."

Okaaaayy… looks like _someone_ had been hanging around Ema too much. That, and he was sensing a magnitude of jealousy from someone who claimed he didn't care.

"Mr. Wright, we don't need his help! We have the Internet! **We'll be fine!** "

Phoenix winced, his ears ringing. He'd forgotten how loud Apollo was by default and how much _louder_ he could get when riled up. Honestly, the faster they got this over with, the better it would be for both his hearing and head. He was getting too old for this; him and Edgeworth weren't _this_ bad during their prime - and why the heck were they still waiting out in the hallway?!

"Hm… I wonder if he got my message," Phoenix wondered out loud, stroking his chin. "I didn't get the date wrong, did I?"

He knocked again. Still no answer. Apollo continued to scowl.

"He's not in. Let's go."

He turned to leave, but Phoenix tugged him back by the collar of his shirt.

"We're not going anywhere without my free German lessons!" he yelled.

"So I'll pay for classes at the community center - we're just wasting our time!" Apollo argued.

"But it's free!"

"Quit being so cheap!"

"... But it's _free!_ "

Leave it to Phoenix to be such a pennypincher. Apollo was highly tempted to smack his boss upside the head for his whining, but chose to vent his frustrations and suspicions on a certain rock star prosecutor instead. True, that guy and Phoenix had settled old misunderstandings about a year ago following Kristoph's conviction, but he seriously doubted Prosecutor Gavin's generosity towards defense attorneys, unless he wanted something in return. There was nothing free in this world: that courtroom diva had something up his leather-clad sleeves, he just knew it. But what?

"Come on, Apollo," Phoenix flashed him a pleading stare, "at least _try_ to be professional about this… for me?"

But when the puppy-dog pout failed to garner any sympathy, he straightened up to frown disapprovingly at his protégé, hands on his hips. Alright, time to use his chief voice and show the kid who's boss.

"Look, if you have some words to say to Klavier, do it before the day's done. I don't want your silly rivalry getting in the way of our lessons and our trip to Germany, am I clear?"

 _Klavier?_ _ **Klavier?!**_ So the two were on first names now? When the hell did _that_ happen?!

And Phoenix was defending that undeserving, glimmerous fop over him? He wanted to scream and possibly maim something while he was at it. In fact, he was so mad his face was turning blue.

"Oh, I have some words to say to him alright," Apollo growled through clenched teeth; even his hair spikes appeared more lethal. "Starting with how he can take that flashy guitar of his and shove it up his - "

 _BAM!_

The door flew open and smacked Apollo dead in the face. Phoenix winced. Was it just him, or was that aim a little _too_ perfect?

"Herr Wright, I must apologize for making you wait. I couldn't hear you over all that yell -"

The blonde paused when he finally noticed a glowering, red-faced Apollo emerge from behind the door. There was a distinct mark at the center of his forehead where the wood hit. Somehow, Klavier failed to register the look of pure rage on Apollo's face, or he simply didn't bother. It was probably the second.

"Ah, Herr Forehead," he turned to regard Apollo. "Looks like even _you_ have an off switch – he smirked teasingly – ja?"

" _You!"_

Phoenix laughed nervously and quickly inserted himself between them before Apollo could launch himself at Klavier and quite possibly claw his eyes out. Oh boy… how were they going to survive a whole day in the same room together? And was he picking up some animosity on Klavier's end too? Clearly, he had underestimated the nature of their rivalry and how it extended beyond the courtrooms. Though he _did_ wonder what these two were so fiercely competitive over. Apollo didn't even want to _be_ here, and Klavier hadn't sounded too enthusiastic himself when he'd mentioned Apollo would be joining their private lesson…

"It's ok, Klavier, you didn't make us wait long," said Phoenix sweetly with an unassuming smile.

"Yeah, if you don't count a whole 20 minutes lo – _OW."_

Phoenix elbowed Apollo in the side none too lightly. Klavier casually brushed his fringe aside before returning Phoenix's smile with one of his own. It was the smile he used on his fangirls – brilliant, dashing and mysteriously sexy. It made Apollo's blood boil. Phoenix, however, remained blithely oblivious. Apollo supposed his innocence was both a gift and a curse.

"Anyway," Phoenix continued, oblivious to the mounting tension, "I really appreciate your help, Klavier. Especially when you've been so busy with work. Thanks!"

He beamed like a schoolboy who received his first 'A' and the young prosecutor was irresistible to his charms. Klavier silently watched the new chief of the 'Wright Anything Agency' go on excitedly about his upcoming "mission" and how it would prove invaluable to improving their country's legal system. It was both inconceivable and admirable. Phoenix was always working hard to improve their law for the betterment of people everywhere, his dedication and loyalty to his clients taking him to the ends of the earth and back. And seeing his honest enthusiasm and purity made Klavier feel ashamed for ever having misjudged him.

Seven years ago, when he first met Phoenix, he had believed him to be a snobbish, incompetent lawyer whose ability to win favor in court was only as good as his capacity to bluff his way under the judge's nose. Now, (he was still bluffing) he saw more than that: Phoenix was deathly devoted, strong and full of conviction, could be sweet if he wanted to, had miraculously managed to retain his youth and vigor and looked just as good as he did back then, if not better, and...

' _Prosecutor Gavin? Come to my place tonight. Trucy won't mind. No one should spend Christmas alone.'_

' _But – after all Kristoph did to you… after all_ _ **I**_ _did to you –'_

' _That was seven years ago, alright? We all make mistakes. Things are different now! – pause – Besides, if you hadn't done what you did, I wouldn't have Trucy as a daughter. She's my light, you know?'_

' _Herr Wright…'_

' _Prosecutor Gavin, you lost both your brother and best friend. And I know how lonely it gets in the dark… So, I don't want you to ever feel alone. You're free to drop by the agency anytime you like, or give me a call if you ever need someone to talk to. Not that you should ever need to, of course – you're a popular guy, haha!'_

He was amazingly forgiving. His heart was pure and Klavier thought it was beautiful. He found himself calling Phoenix a lot since then.

If only he could say something similarly positive about the famed attorney's taste in men.

"Achtung, baby!" He leaned close and held Phoenix's chin between his thumb and forefinger. "Alles für dich (Anything for you)."

Phoenix blushed and averted his gaze awkwardly. He had been practicing in his spare time. Apollo on the other hand had _no bloody idea_ what Klavier just said, but the way he practically _flirted_ with _his boyfriend_ right in front of him and Phoenix's subsequent reaction was enough to send over a dozen warning sirens blaring in his head. _The nerve of this guy!_ He didn't need no stinking German class to understand what Mr. Rock Star Prosecutor _really_ intended with these so-called "private lessons".

Glaring daggers at the ex-musician, Apollo grabbed Phoenix's hand and pulled him possessively against his chest. They were going to learn German, were they? _Fine._ Then they were going to do it Justice style.

"Ashtoong – so, when do we start?"

Klavier's right eye twitched sporadically. The kid just butchered his catchphrase! He felt like his precious ears just got cancer.

So, Herr Forehead was here; a minor setback. By the time he was done with class, Phoenix would be too busy swooning over him to bother about his loud, uncultured apprentice/boyfriend. After all, French wasn't the only language of love and romance, and against his rival and large forehead, he was going to win this one.

"Where are my manners?" He flashed Apollo a snide smirk as he wrapped an arm around Phoenix's waist. "Riiiight – he pulled Phoenix against him while simultaneously pushing Apollo away – this way."

The brunette crashed into a nearby umbrella stand. Klavier pretended he didn't hear or see anything.

Blushing and stammering, but not wishing to offend his host (maybe all Europeans were this forward), Phoenix allowed Klavier to guide him into his lavish office. Seriously, no matter how many times he visited - with that impressive collection of guitars on the wall, large speakers, and a master computer that looked more like a complex synthesizer - the place still reminded him more of a recording room than a prosecutor's office. He heard of the phrase 'personal touch', but even he had to admit that this was a little too ridiculous.

After instructing an extremely sour Apollo to shut the door behind him, Klavier motioned them to take a seat on his leather couch. On the coffee table nearby was a short stack of basic German language books. He picked the top one off the pile and casually flipped it open before unabashedly settling himself between his target and said target's annoying boyfriend. And while ignoring Apollo's jealous rage with the experience of a professional Casanova, he smiled at his guests and said, "Don't worry, basic German's not too difficult – even an amateur can pick it up."

* * *

"Gu-Gooten tang… Ich hebe Justice and –"

" _Nein! Nein!"_

Klavier threw the ice-pack he had previously used to nurse his throbbing head, straight at Apollo's face. For the love of God - they had been at this for _three whole hours_ and Apollo still couldn't get past basic introductions! His pronunciation _sucked_ and - _why the heck was there an 'and' in his sentence?!_

He took back what he said earlier about amateurs. Clearly, Apollo was a category all of his own.

"Ach! My ears have cancer…"

"My _mouth_ has cancer…"

Phoenix gazed at the two men sympathetically, especially at Apollo. His boyfriend was really trying his hardest to pick up a new language for his sake and even if he wasn't the most fluent of speakers, there was a lot of effort in every word that came out of his mouth. Perhaps Klavier was going about this all wrong - just because said method of teaching worked for him, it did not necessarily mean it would work for someone else. With a determined nod, he snapped his book of _Law Terminology - German edition_ , shut. He had an idea.

"Hey, Klavier, why don't we try something else?"

"Don't bother. Herr Forehead's hopeless."

"Hey!"

Phoenix shook his head and leaned in so that he was staring deep into Klavier's twinkling blue eyes. Oh, he was determined, alright. There was no way he was leaving the country without his partner and protégé, and he was going to turn Apollo into a linguistic master by this weekend or so help him, he would sacrifice _all_ sleep and die trying.

"Let's try conversing in German and have Apollo listen. Maybe he's more of an audio learner?"

"Herr Wright, I don't see why I can't just personally escort you to Germany myself." Klavier shot him a suggestive smirk. "I even have a house there. My offer still stands."

Apollo was _this close_ to strangling the cocky blonde from behind, but a warning frown from Phoenix stopped him.

"Come on, Klavier… please?" he said encouragingly, turning wide, hopeful eyes to the younger man. "It's worth a try and you've tried everything."

Said prosecutor sighed and reluctantly pushed himself off his lounging position on the couch to face Phoenix head-on. _Verdammt,_ could those eyes get any bigger? There was no way he could turn down a request like that.

"Fein," he muttered, twirling a lock of hair around his finger. He motioned at Apollo with his head. "Herr Forehead, grab your book, sit on that chair over there and pay attention. Mummy and daddy are talking."

Choosing to ignore that last comment altogether least he suffered from an aneurysm, Apollo did as he was instructed. 'You're doing this for Mr. Wright, you're doing this all for Mr. Wright,' he kept telling himself as he waddled over to his station. Oh, don't get him wrong – the plush chair was perfectly comfortable. What _really_ made him uncomfortable however, was the distance between him and the couch, as well as how Klavier kept scooting _closer_ to Phoenix and ultimately invading the latter's personal space. It was like the two were in their private little world and had completely forgotten about his presence. Klavier laughed and Phoenix smiled at him unsurely. Apollo clutched his book so hard he bent it at the spine.

 _For. Mister. Wright._

"Shall we begin?" said the blonde with a charming smile and the slightest tilt of his head.

"The defense is ready!"

He chuckled at the older male's enthusiasm. Cute.

Phoenix's full attention was on him, expectant, and it suddenly occurred to Klavier that he could use this opportunity to his advantage. His original plan to woo the famed defense attorney had been brutally decimated by Apollo's incompetency and this could very well be his last chance to sweep Phoenix off his feet… at least before that fancy restaurant he planned to take him to dinner closed for the evening. And the best part about all this? Apollo would remain completely in the dark as to what they were saying. Perfect.

"Achtung, baby! Let's rock!" He snapped his fingers and flashed Phoenix a dashing grin. "Guten tag! Wie heißen Sie? Wo kommen Sie her? (Good afternoon! What's your name? Where are you from?)"

Phoenix visibly perked up. He knew this one.

"Guten tag! Ich heiße Wright. Ich bin nicht von hier. Ich übernachte in einem Hotel. (Good afternoon! My name's Wright. I'm not from here. I'm staying in a hotel.)"

"Very good, Herr Wright. I'm impressed," Klavier complemented with the slightest hint of surprise. It seemed _someone_ did his homework. Also, his pronunciation wasn't half-bad.

Phoenix laughed and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "T-Thanks! I… uh… had a lot of time to study while you were teaching Apollo."

"I see," he replied with a mysterious smile. "Well, hopefully Herr Forehead will be able to pick up a thing or two from you."

Time to kick things up a notch.

"Jetzt werde Ich dir mal was erzählen. (Now I have something to tell you.)"

Phoenix frowned as he quickly wracked his brain for that phrase. 'Ok, that sounds a little complicated, but I think I got it.'

"Was? (What?)"

He was caught off-guard however, when Klavier suddenly cupped his cheek with a hand and gazed deep into his eyes. His stare was intense, piercing, full of desire and Phoenix thought his legs would have given out beneath him if he wasn't already sitting down. But what was strange to him wasn't the nature of that gaze: it was that Apollo often looked at him the same way too.

"Du hast wunderschöne Augen. (You have beautiful eyes.)"

It was spoken in a sensual murmur, in a deeply melodic chord that only a singer could accomplish. It was different from the forceful impact of Apollo's voice and Phoenix found himself blushing. He pulled away from Klavier's touch and cleared his throat.

"D-Danke. (Thanks.)"

Klavier chuckled.

Phoenix felt desperately confused.

Meanwhile, Apollo was frantically flipping through his battered and worn language book at the speed of light. Why did Klavier touch _his_ Phoenix? Why was Phoenix blushing? What were they saying? What, what, what?!

Suddenly, he had the distinct feeling he was playing into Klavier's hands. Because of a bloody language barrier, he was quickly losing his boyfriend to that no-good, divatastic, glimmerous fop! Absently, he regretted not paying attention during French class in high school. A second language would have given him an edge in love. As he suspected, _Chords of Steel_ really wasn't very romantic.

"Ich habe den ganzen tag an dich gedacht … (I've been thinking about you all day... )"

Klavier was moving ever closer while Phoenix scrambled to the other end of the couch. He started to sweat and his red face really wasn't helping him retain control of the situation. Whatever happened to his free German lessons? Maybe he should have listened to Apollo… He was starting to see how _bad_ his "brilliant idea" was turning out. Also, he was pretty sure he knew what, or rather, _whom_ Klavier and Apollo were fighting over now.

"Klavier, cut it out!"

He struggled but a hand grabbed his knee to hold him in place. Klavier's handsome face was right in front of him, mere inches apart, breaths mingling – Klavier's hot with excitement and Phoenix's nervous and shallow. The blonde's eyes were half-lidded, his voice painfully seductive and Phoenix, to his utmost mortification, found it incredibly hard to resist.

"Ich steh' auf dich… (I'm into you…)"

 _He's what now?_

"Schatz (Treasure)… Baby…"

 _P-P-Pet names?!_

That hand travelled higher up his thigh, stroking and squeezing, and Phoenix thought he would pass out any moment with the amount of blood rushing to his face. His heart was beating like crazy and he felt heat pool between his thighs. That sun-kissed skin… those cerulean eyes… that hypnotic voice… that hand creeping between his legs… Phoenix's breath hitched. _N-No…!_ Why was he getting excited under Klavier's attentions? And why the hell couldn't he push him away?

 _Apollo, help!_

Suddenly, Klavier wound his hand around Phoenix's waist and tugged the blushing and sputtering lawyer onto his lap. Phoenix fell forward, wide-eyed, his face a breath away from the handsome prosecutor. They were so close, he didn't dare breathe.

"Willst du mit mir gehen? (Do you want to go out with me?)"

"K-Klavier, wait… I'm with - "

But his words weren't getting through to the blonde, who was eyeing him like a piece of meat. Klavier was impatient, _hungry._ Because of Herr Forehead, he had waited over _three hours_ for this. With his free hand, he caressed and cupped Phoenix's cheek once more as he brought their lips closer together.

"Küss mich. (Kiss me.)"

Phoenix squeaked.

" _EINSPRUCH!"_

Apollo jumped in between them, grabbed his boss, and smashed his German language book in Klavier's face. It was open to the page on 'Objection'. Aha! Took him long enough to find it! Inwardly, Apollo felt rather smug about marring that pretty boy face of his rival's, as well as being able to make his point in the guy's own mother tongue.

Phoenix gaped at the twitching mass on the floor that was Klavier, but before he could ask if he was all right, much less poke him to check, he felt Apollo take him by the hand and drag him towards the door. His heart soared with relief. _Saved!_

"Apollo, thank –"

"We're going back to the office and we're having Athena teach us instead - _are we clear?_ " he interrupted with a dangerous growl and Phoenix found himself nodding frantically in agreement. Note to self: Apollo could be _really_ scary when jealous… violent too.

Klavier groaned as he struggled to sit upright. _Urgh_ … what hit him? The room was spinning… and where the heck was Phoenix? When his vision finally cleared though, he was dismayed by the sight of a triumphant Apollo and a concerned Phoenix standing not too far from him, hand-in-hand. _Ach,_ did this mean he would have to cancel that reservation now?

"Prosecutor Gavin."

At the sound of his name, he lifted his eyes to his rival, bitter and defeated. He didn't know which was worse: that infuriating smirk on the brunette's face, or knowing that he had lost _again._

"Thanks for the lessons, but German's really not my thing. I _do_ have something to say to you though."

"What?"

And to Klavier's utter horror, Apollo hijacked his signature pose and catchphrase. _Again._

"Achtung, baby!" Apollo pointed a finger at him. "Verpiss dich! (Fuck off!)"

Klavier's jaw dropped.

Phoenix hid his laughter behind his hand as Apollo slammed the door shut behind them.

* * *

As they descended the Prosecutor's Building via elevator, Phoenix spared a curious glance at his fuming boyfriend and couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle. Apollo whipped his head to the side and shot him an irritated scowl.

"What's so funny?"

"You," answered Phoenix in-between laughs, "You're cute when you're angry, you know that?"

Apollo's hair spikes shot up like a pair of antennae.

"Of course I'm angry! He was trying to steal you away from me! If I wasn't there to look out for you, God knows what he'd do!" He growled and pulled at his hair when all Phoenix did was smile at him with that infuriatingly carefree grin of his. " _Argh_ , did you even know he _liked_ you?!"

Said attorney raised a finger in a bid to deliver some witty comeback, only to lower his hand when he realised he had nothing.

"Honestly? … No."

Apollo rolled his eyes so hard he saw the back of his skull. _Amazing –_ he just _had_ to date the densest man in the whole freaking universe. Now he needed to start keeping tabs on Phoenix's phone calls… and find a way to block Klavier from his contacts list while he was at it.

"Anyway, apart from what you – Phoenix snickered – last said to Klavier, did you learn anything at all today?" He made a mental note to ask his protégé where he learnt that phrase later. He certainly hoped it wasn't Athena's doing.

Apollo smirked, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "I sure did, sir."

His hand shot out to grab his boss' tie and tugged Phoenix against him. The sudden action made Phoenix gasp. A strong arm snaked around his waist and he felt a hand push past the waistband of his pants to grope his ass and finger his entrance. Phoenix squirmed and blushed from Apollo's forwardness. _Here? In public?_ But what if someone entered the elevator and saw them?

"P-Pervert! _Stop it!_ " he hissed, "Or I'm cutting your pay this – _ungh!"_ Apollo's finger entered him and Phoenix's hand flew to his mouth to muffle a moan. That finger began to move and he was wet in seconds.

Apollo didn't seem the least bit concerned though as he continued to pump his boss, adding another finger while he was at it.

"I think someone needs to be punished for flirting with other men…"

"B-But, I didn't… Haa… _Don't…!"_

He added a third finger and Phoenix fully collapsed against him, panting heavily.

"Apollo… Stoo… Stop… the lift might… Haa... o-open and someone… might see…"

"And you'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"Ob-objection!"

"Really now?" Apollo chuckled darkly as he pumped him faster, feeling his mentor's hardness press against him. "Then why does the evidence contradict your statement?"

Phoenix trembled.

"Ahh… Haa… _St-Stoooop_ …"

"You're the _real_ pervert, Mr. Wright."

" _Nooo…!_ "

Apollo watched his boss come undone before him with dark, lustful eyes and for the final icing on the cake; he spoke in his sexy bedroom voice that always succeeded in making Phoenix's knees weak.

"Küss mich," he commanded.

And suddenly, the idea of getting caught didn't matter anymore. It was official: Apollo speaking German was like the best thing ever. Flushing scarlet, Phoenix allowed his eyelids to flutter shut and did as he was told. He couldn't wait for Germany.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

I ended up submitting this earlier than expected, but I thought it would make a nice Christmas present :) Spread the OdoNaru love and joy, you know? Poor Klavier, but I had fun writing a sort of Klavier/Phoenix for a change. I admit, apart from Apollo, I do have a thing for pairing the Gavin brothers with Phoenix. And since the previous chapter included Kristoph, I thought I'd give Klavier a chance with our Comeback King! Of course, no one can win against Apollo ;)

On a side note, I apologize if I got any German words/phrasing/grammar wrong. I've zero experience in the language and only had my best friend to rely on who only started learning it not too long ago.


	6. New Year

**Author's note:**

Happy New Year my fellow readers! May 2016 bring you joy, laughter, success and plenty of love. Also, it's my birthday and I'm spreading double the cheer with an update! It's longer than usual; hope you guys like it.

This chapter takes place after AJ:AA, before PW:DD.

 **Review response:**

 _Oushi -_ Thank you and I'm glad you love my fanfic so far! Also, it's heartening to know that I've helped with your Apollo/Phoenix fix ;)

* * *

 **20 Kisses: Hero Worship**

 **by Dark Interval**

 **Sixth Kiss: New Year**

* * *

"10 ways to confess to your crush. Number one: be sensitive and patient; there's no need to rush true love – _phfft!_ Yeah right, try _one year_ on for size. How's _that_ for patient?"

Phoenix scrolled down to the next one.

"A sure way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Prepare his favorite foods and butter him up for your confession."

He smashed his head repeatedly against the keyboard.

Well that was completely useless – the only foods he knew how to prepare were instant noodles. Although Apollo wasn't a picky eater, he seriously doubted instant noodles qualified as romantic. Besides, it wasn't healthy and the last thing he needed was Apollo to accuse him for being cheap again.

He pushed back his chair with a heavy sigh and sprawled across his messy desk. A few law books and case folders slid off and crashed noisily onto the floor, but Phoenix paid them no heed. He was too busy feeling depressed to worry if the G's got mixed with the F's. Besides, he wasn't a lawyer anymore. All this stuff was mainly Apollo's… meh, let the kid sort them out later.

The thought of said defense attorney made him groan. Geez, why did falling in love have to be so complicated? He didn't _ask_ for it. It just sort of, kind of, spontaneously happened. And of all people cupid's arrow decided to point at, it just _had_ to be one egoistic, loudmouth Apollo Justice – unwitting apprentice, occasional errand boy (though that role was becoming increasingly frequent now with Trucy bossing him around), and 100% male.

Now, don't get him wrong: he was pretty impartial towards the whole gender discourse. It was just that the only romantic relationship he had been involved in to date, was with Dahlia – or was it Iris? Argh, details. But whatever the case, he assumed he was straight, so one could only imagine his shock when fast-forward 13 years later, he realised he was in fact bisexual. Or was Apollo a special case? He certainly didn't remember feeling attracted to any other guy before...

Oddly enough, it all started after Apollo punched him eight months ago for giving him that false evidence. And no, it _wasn't_ because the kid hit him too hard and did something to his brain. Apollo had punched him because he felt angry; _betrayed_ ; because he had believed in Phoenix and had the utmost faith in him when the whole world didn't. It showed how much Apollo truly cared and somehow he had managed to screw that up. That realisation literally hit him and he hadn't been able to get Apollo off his mind ever since.

When the kid began working at the 'Wright Talent Agency', he thought having him around more often would alleviate all the confusion he felt in his heart. Boy, was he wrong. Apollo's daily presence made things _worse,_ and it _really_ didn't help when he found out that his apprentice harbored a secret not-so-secret obsession towards him in the form of old magazine and newspaper clippings, interviews, and photographs of varying sizes plastered across his bedroom walls. A small, perverted and hopeful part of Phoenix wondered if the kid secretly fapped to him at night, but Apollo always carried himself as purely asexual, so Phoenix simply shrugged it off as the pervasive effects of teenage idolization.

When it finally occurred to Phoenix that his feelings weren't going anywhere and that they were indeed real, if not growing, he made the earth-shattering decision to confess. Unfortunately, that was almost a year ago and progress was… negatory. Initially, it was the nerves. After that, until this very day, had been non-stop interruptions – the untimely, the missed opportunities, and the completely bat-shit crazy random (last Tuesday, just when he was about to confess in his own office, a crane smashed through the window and he was immediately rushed to the nearest hospital). Point is, it was like the whole _universe_ was against him and Phoenix didn't know if it was because he was upsetting the very balance of the cosmos with his love interest, or if he was plain unlucky.

Which brought him to where he was now: reading blog posts and articles written by over-enthusiastic, idyllic romantics with the questionable propensity for bullshit. But he was desperate.

Phoenix's eyes wandered to the calendar on his desk. Technically, it was Apollo who used it: he would mark out certain dates and fill in important meetings and reminders along with their respective timings. If Phoenix was the heart of this agency, then Apollo was… well, every other thing that wasn't the heart that was vital in keeping the body functioning. 1st January of next year was already circled in red. Today was 31st December. If he didn't confess his feelings by the end of this evening, he would have to start all over again for a whole other year. That thought made him a little sad, but for an entirely different reason.

'How long has it been since I fell in love with you?' he always wondered to himself whenever his gaze landed on Apollo: of him laughing, grinning, shouting, stressing out, just being him _._ As the seasons went by, his feelings for the young lawyer only grew as did his efforts. It was the middle of spring when they first met – April 20th. Now, it was snowing outside. He wondered if Apollo ever noticed.

"Number three: if all else fails, try a change of scenery –"

"Hey, Mr. Wright!"

"AHHHHHHHHH!"

Phoenix slammed the laptop shut in his panic and the power kind of died. _Oh great_ , now he needed to work double shift at the bar to pay it off. Maybe he could borrow some cash from Apollo… when he wasn't looking.

Apollo gave his boss a weird stare as he cocked his head to the side. There were shopping bags in his hands (he was made to run some errands at the grocer's earlier) and when he spoke, his words got muffled from the thick blue scarf around his neck.

"I was standing here for a whole minute," he said with laughing eyes and they quickly glanced at the desk. "You looked so intense. What were you reading?"

"Um… Uh…" Phoenix's eyes darted about frantically only to land on Charlie. "... Plants," he finished lamely.

Apollo's eyebrows rose in surprise. "I didn't know you liked plants, Mr. Wright." Then he flashed him a wide, cheerful grin. "Guess I'll make a note of that in the Journal of Justice!"

Phoenix's heart skipped a beat.

"Uh... ah... oh yeah," he coughed nervously, "was there something you needed to talk to me about?"

The grin shifted into a look of exasperation. "You can't be serious. I came to tell you to get changed – we're going to the theme park today, remember? You're not _that_ old yet."

Phoenix's eyes bulged (he completely ignored that 'old' comment). _Theme park?_ In the middle of _winter_? How the heck did he agree to that in the first place?!

"Trucy's already ready."

"But it's freezing! And did you look outside?" He presented the window like it was the most obvious magic trick in the world. "You see that? It's _snow!_ "

Apollo sighed, "Mr. Wright…"

" _Snow_ – he continued to gesture at the window like he thought Apollo was some sort of retard – SNOW."

A vein in Apollo's head throbbed dangerously. "I can see that!" he yelled. Gods, Phoenix was so annoying.

"Do I have to?" came the predictable whine followed by the usual sulking.

"Mr. Wright, this is your daughter we're talking about. You _promised._ "

"Fine, fine... give me five minutes," he said with a resigned sigh as he dragged his feet to his bedroom to change.

'Hm, maybe a trip to the theme park would help,' he mused; after all, the article _did_ mention a change in scenery.

Throwing open his closet, Phoenix did a quick scan of his wardrobe only to blanch. _Seriously?_ Didn't he have _any_ warm clothing apart from his old hoodie? Oh well, looks like he needed to go shopping soon. He pulled it on along with the beanie Trucy had made for him and gave his reflection a good once over. Not exactly the most stylish getup to confess to your crush, but he supposed it was better than freezing to death… hm, maybe he could salvage his situation somehow. He stepped back into the office and called for his apprentice.

"Hey, Apollo! Could I borrow a coat? And a pair of gloves? And some thermal? Oh, and $200 for our tickets?"

" _WHAT?!_ You cheapskate!"

The protest was so loud, it literally rocked the walls of the 'Wright Talent Agency'. While Apollo practically _roasted_ him with a barrage of complaints and admonishments – to be more responsible, to stop being lazy, to learn to do things for himself, to quit being such a mooch – Phoenix pulled the beanie over his ears in both shame and to drown out the kid's insanely loud voice. At this rate, he would surely go deaf before hitting 40. _Gah,_ so much for turning over a new leaf…

* * *

"Daddy, hurry! I wanna ride _all_ the roller coasters before the snow gets too heavy!"

All color drained from Phoenix's face. The last time he came to Gatewater Land with Maya and Pearl and sat _one_ roller coaster with the girls, his face had turned all shades of green and he never left the toilet for the entire afternoon. He had immediately concluded that thrill rides weren't his thing and that humans would live a lot longer if their feet remained firmly planted on the ground.

"Sweetie, do you have to ride _all_ of them?" Then he quickly corrected himself, "Do you have to ride _any_ of them? Why not the gondolas? They can be pretty intense too… if you row fast enough… and use your imagination…"

Trucy crossed her arms and released a loud, exasperated huff. Honestly, her daddy could be so lame, and the things he said and the boring stuff he liked to do made him resemble an old man so much, she often forgot he was only 33 years old! Maybe this was why she didn't have a mummy after so long.

"But daddy, only old people ride those!"

"Hey, I object to that! I like boat rides and _I'm_ not old… besides, aren't _you_ too old to ride the kids coaster in 'Wild, Wild West'?"

" _Ooo!"_ Trucy pouted and looked to Apollo who stood next to her. "Help me out here, Polly!"

"Don't you dare, Apollo!"

Said man sighed; why did he even bother? In terms of identifying the real kid between Phoenix and Trucy, he honestly couldn't tell. Both father and daughter were the same… even when it came to their maturity level and mutual dependence on him.

"Look, I already paid for our tickets –"

"What?! Daddy! You said you got it this time!"

"I did! … I covered the arrangements. That counts, right?"

"– so we might as well ride or not ride whatever we want and everyone's happy, alright?"

Apollo paused to shoot the pair a wry stare. These tickets (unwillingly) came out of his own savings and they bloody well enjoyed themselves or he was going to personally serve up a hot, scalding plate of Justice to the very cheapskate responsible for making his account balance bleed into the red.

"Mr. Wright, let Trucy on her own. She's 15 years old and she's got her own phone – if anything, she'll call you. Trucy, stop bullying your da-"

But she wasn't listening.

"Look, look! A magic show! I _must_ catch that! Maybe they need another magician!"

And she shot off like a rocket towards the nearby circus tent, leaving a speechless Apollo and Phoenix in the dust. Kids and their relatively short attention spans. Apollo ran his fingers through his hair with a sigh. So much for being the voice of authority around here.

"Um… Apollo?" Phoenix fidgeted nervously, suddenly struck with the realisation that they were alone together. "What do we do now?"

He shrugged noncommittally. "Anything we want, I suppose – he smiled – What do _you_ want to do, Mr. Wright?"

'Apollo's asking _me?'_ Phoenix blushed before quickly turning his face away to hide his embarrassment and exhilaration. 'Maybe… maybe I can do this.'

"W-Well…"

"Hey, it's not a bad fit, sir!" Apollo interrupted, observing his boss' clothes with a satisfied smirk. "I was worried they'd be too small for you. Seems like you're not as big as I thought."

Was that an indirect jab at his lifestyle or something? Phoenix fingered the collar of his coat with a thoughtful pout. It was a black wool coat with a stylish, dramatic cut and ended just above the knees of his jeans; a pair of grey mittens warmed his hands; and a bright red muffler wound snug around his neck. For someone who complained so much about his inefficiency, Apollo spent an awful long time dressing him up. He remembered feeling like a doll back in the office.

'Guess his fashion sense is a lot better than mine…'

Suddenly, Apollo was right up at his face and Phoenix was unable to control the blush on his cheeks from spreading. The way the young lawyer was scrutinizing him made him feel like an inexperienced witness on the witness stand and he felt about ready to blurt out his guilt even though he had nothing to be remotely guilty about.

"Um… what? What's wrong?"

He prayed his face hadn't turned redder.

"Huh?" Apollo blinked momentarily before shaking his head with a laugh. "Oh, no, nothing – his eyes were shining – it's just that I noticed you shaved."

"Oh." Phoenix lowered his gaze and unconsciously touched his face. "Does it look weird or something?"

"No, no! Not at all!" It was Apollo's turn to feel flustered as he flailed his arms in defense. "It's just – it's a good look for you, sir! Makes you look five years younger!"

"I would appreciate you not calling me 'sir' though," answered Phoenix with a grimace. "Kind of defeats the whole 'five years younger' compliment. Plus, we've known each other for almost a year now. Just Phoenix or Nick is fine, ok?"

"Ok, Mr. Phoenix!"

Phoenix sighed. He supposed it was a start. Returning his attention to Apollo, he noticed the kid was still staring at him intently, a thoughtful frown across his brow.

"What now?" he asked.

"I don't know… Something's a little off – ah!" Apollo reached over to pluck the beanie off Phoenix's head, freeing his trademark spiky hair. Apollo's fingers ran over his scalp as he combed through Phoenix's hair and if Phoenix were a cat, he would've purred.

"There – he tucked away a stray strand that flopped forward – Handsome."

Phoenix turned so red, his face could very well warm the whole of Gatewater Land all winter. He tucked his cheeks behind the wool of his muffler in a bid to conceal his embarrassment. Fortunately, the thing was so red by default, Apollo couldn't tell the difference between it and his face. He noticed that Apollo was smiling at him – that brilliant, dorky grin of his that never failed to light up any room, and Phoenix thought he looked remarkably charming.

His heart raced. 'I can do this… I can do this!'

"A-Apollo? There's something I've been… Uh… m-meaning to t-t-tell you…"

The brunette folded his arms and cocked his head to the side.

"What's that, Mr. Wright?"

Phoenix was shaking so hard, his brain a jumbled mess that he didn't even notice Apollo had reverted to calling him by his old title. His hands were clammy and his chest felt tight as he struggled to get his voice box working again. _Goddammit,_ why was this so hard?

"Apollo, I… I…"

"You…?"

 _Say it!_

He clenched his hands, scrunched his eyes shut and took a deep breath.

"I really like –!"

"POLLY!"

Phoenix's eyes flew open. _No way!_

Trucy charged in and practically crashed into Apollo, nearly knocking the both of them over. The elder winced and pushed her away.

"Trucy, what in the world–!"

"I kind of accidentally made the magician disappear –"

"What do you mean 'kind of accidentally'?!"

"So, let's ride the roller coasters! You're going to sit them all with me, Polly! That way, daddy won't freak out so much."

"Huh?! But –"

She dragged him away before he could finish protesting and a red-faced Phoenix watched them go, utterly dumbstruck.

* * *

 _Phoenix: Are you ok?_

 _Trucy: Daddy, I'm fine. You just asked two minutes ago. Besides, Polly's with me._

 _Phoenix: And he's just as reckless!_

 _Trucy: And you need to loosen up!_

 _Phoenix: Well yeah, but –_

 _Trucy: It's our turn now! Talk to you later bye!_

Phoenix pocketed his cell phone with a sigh. Oh well, at least the kids were having fun… but now he was feeling left out. At first, he was half-tempted to join them, but the memory of his first and last roller coaster ride quickly changed all of that. He tried to convince himself that he was just concerned and protective over Trucy's well-being, but deep down he knew it was only an excuse for his extreme boredom and disappointment. _Dammit,_ he had been _so close!_ And foiled by his own daughter at that!

Walking past the concession stand, he kicked aside a crushed soda can with a pout. Now what was he going to do? He supposed he could try winning something for either Apollo or Trucy, but then again, he wasn't really good at theme park games. Or saying something as simple as three particular words it seemed. _Fudge,_ couldn't he do _anything_ right?

"Nick? Hey, Nick!"

He looked up at the sound of that vaguely familiar voice. It was slightly deeper than he last remembered, but there was no mistaking it. They had worked together once upon a time and there was no forgetting her penchant for science. Plus that top-knot was a dead giveaway.

"Ema…?"

Said woman stopped snacking immediately and flashed him a wide, enthusiastic smile and for a moment, Phoenix found himself staring at a 16-year-old girl instead of a lovely grown woman. She acted so unlike the grumpy detective Apollo and Trucy often complained about. Then again, this was how Phoenix always remembered her and call him sentimental, but the nostalgia really warmed his heart and made him smile. The last he saw her was at Kristoph's trial under the new jury system. He didn't get the chance to catch up with her then, but he remembered observing how much she had matured and accomplished for herself since her sister's trial all those years ago. Even though she failed in her dream of becoming a forensic scientist and became a detective instead, he couldn't be more proud.

… Gosh, he felt old.

"It's been awhile, Nick," she said with a smirk. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Oh, you know – she placed her rose-tinted glasses over her eyes – science. And work," she replied mysteriously with a wink.

Before Phoenix could ask if a murder had occurred (nothing could surprise him anymore) and if the hopeless suspect needed Apollo as his defense attorney, Ema shamelessly resumed her snacking, alternating between a bag of (fast-depleting) snackoos and fresh popcorn. Absently, he wondered if she was really on the job or if she had conveniently slipped away to the snack stand on the pretense of investigating.

"Police work?"

"Oh – munch, munch – you could say that."

There was that cryptic response again. Phoenix decided that if Ema wasn't feeling inclined to share, then he didn't want to know. Suddenly, he had a thought.

"Hey, Ema? Could I ask you a ques -"

"Quiet, please. It's snack time." And then she resumed stuffing her face.

Phoenix grimaced. That _couldn't_ be healthy; and also proved to be rather annoying.

"Ema, I'm serious! Let's say you like someone…" he ventured tentatively. "How would you conclude if he or she likes you back? Scientifically."

" _Huh?_ That's a weird question, even from you, Nick."

"J-Just humor me, ok?"

Ema stopped snacking and furrowed her brows in thought.

"... Body heat," she concluded.

"Excuse me?"

"Body heat," she repeated, this time with finality. "Lots of body heat. It'll be hot. _Really hot._ Also, sparks."

All words failed Phoenix by this point, so he chose to gawk at her instead. _What the hell kind of answer was that?!_

Just then, Ema's phone rang and she hurried to answer it.

"Detective Skye speaking! … Yeah. Uh huh… I'm _not_ slacking! I already did – but it's snack time! … yeah, yeah, whatever... Argh, ok, fine." She hung up and turned to regard Phoenix apologetically. "Sorry, Nick, I gotta go – duty calls!"

"Was that your boss?"

"Something like that." She gave him a parting salute. "Later!"

Phoenix watched her go as he thought long and hard about what she said.

* * *

Wandering about aimlessly at a large theme park was exhausting, so Phoenix decided to pass the time by plopping his butt on the stadium benches and do absolutely nothing at all. This sucked – he knew this was a theme park and he ought to have fun, but try as he might, he simply couldn't. Apollo's phone was constantly engaged, Trucy never picked up her calls, the temperature was beginning to drop and he _still_ hadn't confessed his feelings to his one-year crush. That online article was a load of baloney – a change of scenery, his foot!

Suddenly, the shrill chords of an electric guitar blared in his ear and he jumped right out of his seat screaming bloody murder.

 _WHAT THE HELL?!_

"Ah, Herr Wright! Having a case of winter blues, ja?"

 _Oh no._

Hesitantly, he raised his head from the ground and squinted up at the tall figure standing proudly before him. That long platinum blonde hair and German accent was unmistakable, along with the guy's killer fashion sense. Klavier smiled down at him kindly as he offered him a hand.

"I didn't scare you, did I?" he asked with a low chuckle to which Phoenix responded with an indignant pout.

" _N-No!_ … I was just looking for my pen."

Klavier shot him a knowing smirk, "Perhaps Herr Wright needs to look for a better excuse?"

"Shut up!"

Phoenix took his hand and the blonde helped him to his feet. After dusting himself off, he observed the young prosecutor's attire and guitar strapped to his front with a curious frown. Strange, he remembered a teary-eyed Trucy bawling to him that the Gavinners had disbanded after that whole cocoon smuggling fiasco, so why did Prosecutor Gavin look like he was getting ready to – well, rock?

"Last time, you said you were quitting music to focus on prosecuting," said Phoenix with an accusatory frown. "Are you now quitting prosecuting to focus on your music?"

Klavier shook his head with a laugh.

"Herr Forehead would like that, ja? Nein, it's just a one-off thing. Tonight, we'll be putting on a special performance by request."

"We?"

Klavier turned and pointed at the stage, specifically at a certain blonde pianist at the keys. The kid removed his shades and waved at them enthusiastically. Phoenix found himself hesitantly waving back. Seriously, what's with all these familiar faces today?

"Herr Tobaye and I are just about done setting up. All that's left is one final sound-check and we're ready to rock!" He paused in strumming his invisible air-guitar to wink at a bemused Phoenix. "You're welcome to watch the show, Herr Wright. I'll even save you a special front row seat."

Phoenix raised his hands with a nervous laugh. "T-Thanks! I'll… uh… think about it."

Then he paused, recalling his current predicament. Wait a minute, he didn't need no cheesy online advice column to solve his problems – Prosecutor Gavin was _right here._ In front of him. Talking to him. This ex-rockstar had _gazillions_ of fangirls (he still did, he bet) and Trucy herself used to refer to him as a prince… maybe he could offer some solid tips to help improve his nonexistent love life. Or at the very least, tell him what in the world he was doing wrong.

"Hey, Prosecutor Gavin? You're good with matters of the heart…"

Klavier's eyes twinkled in mischief. "Oh? Having trouble with a certain Fraulein, Herr Wright?"

Phoenix stuttered, "Well - _Actually - "_

"Or… a Herr, perhaps?"

It was spoken with a devilish smirk and a suggestive wink. Phoenix blushed and Klavier knew he struck gold. He ushered the older male to have a seat and slid right next to him. And then, without so much of a care for personal boundaries or normal standards of propriety, he casually wrapped an arm around Phoenix's shoulders and pulled the flustering ex-attorney towards him.

"First," he instructed, "you gaze deep into his eyes, so that you have all his attention and he has all of yours."

Klavier's alluring blue eyes shone mysteriously, sexily under the winter's light and Phoenix gulped as he desperately fought down his embarrassment. _Woah…_ Prosecutor Gavin hadn't said anything romantic yet and it already felt so intense. If this was a scene in a drama, there would definitely be saxophones playing in the background, also candlelight.

'He really is an expert in love.'

"And then?" Phoenix breathed innocently with the slightest hint of excitement.

Klavier's gaze and tone turned sensual. "Then, you make contact – he held Phoenix's chin gently with his free hand – so that he can feel the electricity."

Those long, slender fingers upon his icy flesh radiated so much heat that Phoenix almost forgot the sting of frostbite. He had been shivering from the winter winds before, but not anymore. _Now,_ it felt warm and he was starting to feel a little dizzy. It was the same fuzzy feeling he experienced whenever Apollo smiled at him or touched his hand. His eyelids began to droop from the pleasure, like he was under the younger man's spell. Klavier leaned in and Phoenix welcomed his warmth.

"Are you well, Herr Wright?" he breathed upon his lips.

"Y-Yeah…"

What were they talking about again? Ah, yes, Apollo. _Apollo…_

"What next, Prosecutor Gavin?"

Klavier smirked and with a thumb and forefinger, tilted Phoenix's chin to angle it appropriately to his own lips. There was an opportunistic glint in his eyes, which completely sailed clear over Phoenix's head.

"You lean in slowly…"

He closed the gap.

"Breathe upon his lips…"

He blew a teasing puff of smoke against full, parted pink lips and Phoenix let out a soft, involuntary moan.

"And then…"

His heart hammered in anticipation. "Yeah…?"

All of a sudden, Klavier jumped back and with his guitar in hand, struck a dramatic pose complete with the glare from a spotlight courtesy of Machi on stage.

"Achtung, baby! And then you whip out your instrument of love and profess your undying devotion in a passionate, fiery, heart-stopping serenade!"

He immediately began playing and the stadium practically _rocked_ from the electric guitar's earth-shattering screeching of the opening notes of "Guilty Love". Phoenix covered his ears and fled as far away from the stadium as possible. It was heart-stopping, alright, but for a totally different reason.

* * *

'I'm deaf. I'm definitely deaf.'

Between Apollo's voice and Klavier's music, he didn't which one was worse. Phoenix stuck a finger in each ear, swiveled them around for a bit, before pulling them out. _Argh,_ they were still ringing; he could barely make out the sounds of his own surroundings –

 _BANG!_

'I stand corrected.'

Perhaps he had been too busy fleeing the guitar's general range of sound because he only just realised he was currently at the game booths – the shooting gallery to be more precise. Maybe this was as good an indication as any to be a good father and win some toys for Trucy. However, when he drew nearer, the sight of the very person standing there, toy rifle in hand, that telltale purple-and-pink striped sweater and her long wavy blue hair blowing in the wind, immediately made Phoenix choke.

" _Vera?!"_

She was the last person he thought he'd see. What the hell was Vera Misham doing here? What was she even doing outside her home? And was it him, or was _everyone_ here today?

The young artist jumped at the sound of her name and turned wide, fearful eyes to the source of that yell, but upon noticing an awestruck, gaping Phoenix, she stopped to smile sweetly at him, almost relieved. She placed the toy gun on the counter. Phoenix stood before her and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. Right, Vera wasn't exactly a renown conversationalist; he supposed he ought to be the gentleman here.

"I'm sorry if I startled you. I didn't mean to."

She smiled again and shook her head in a pleasant gesture. At least she seemed like she was doing well, what with her father's passing and all. He returned her smile with a sincere one of his own.

"I'm glad you're here, Vera. That you're out of your home and enjoying yourself. Did you come alone? What are you doing here anyway?"

She turned to stare at something in the distance. Phoenix followed her gaze.

"Are you trying to win that prize?" He indicated at the giant white stuffed bunny with a red ribbon hanging at the far end of the shooting gallery. Vera nodded frantically, eyes shining.

"Wish I could win it for you, but I'm terrible at these games," he said with a sheepish laugh. "Sorry."

That smile remained as she shook her head again. He _really_ wished she would talk. Things were getting awkward fast. He found his gaze returning to the white bunny and was immediately struck by how much it reminded him of a certain adorable, hot-blooded defense attorney whom he simply couldn't get out of his mind.

"Um… This is going to sound really weird and stupid, but I'm running low on ideas and I'm desperately trying to tell someone how I feel about them before the day's over – he stared at her pleadingly – you wouldn't happen to have any suggestions, would you?"

Vera blinked at him dumbly for a few seconds, before reaching for her sketch pad and began frantically sketching away. Phoenix waited patiently, but it didn't take her long to finish and when she was done, she turned the pad around to reveal a drawing of Apollo's twin signature hair spikes, an unassuming smile plastered across her face.

He blushed, stuttering, "Y-Yeah… that's him."

 _But how did she know?_

She flipped the page and proceeded to draw something else; then, she showed it to him – it was a large heart. For some reason, Phoenix found himself staring at that heart a little longer than necessary. _Love?_ Did he really love Apollo? All this while he considered the whole thing to be a simple crush. Though as the days went by, especially today, he was beginning to realize it wasn't that simple anymore – his _feelings_ towards Apollo weren't that simple. Did he love his unwitting apprentice? Yes. He didn't know. Maybe.

"So… Any idea what he'd like? What I can give him?"

She sketched in his single loose strand of hair next to Apollo's spikes. Phoenix nodded. Vera began flipping through the pages and sketched upon them all like a mad woman. Her eyes shone with a blazing conviction he had never seen before and admittedly, it made him rather nervous. Was this what people referred to as 'artistic flow'?

Finally, she stopped and presented her masterpiece with a proud, dazzling smile that could light up the whole of Gatewater Land. As she bent the corners of her sketch pad and flipped through the pages, Phoenix realised to his utmost mortification, that it was a manga; and not just any manga, but a questionably M-rated one. It featured Apollo's twin hair spikes taking turns brutally penetrating his own helpless spike over and over. There were also lewd speech bubbles all over the pages. And the entire thing was animated.

 _Oh… My… God._

Phoenix fought to pry the sketch pad out of Vera's protesting hands, his face the reddest it had been all day.

* * *

Tossing the sketch pad into the nearest trash bin, Phoenix slumped onto a bench and buried his face in his hands miserably. _Urgh,_ what was he going to do? The darkening skies reflected his mood and he was feeling increasingly less motivated. He pushed back his sleeve to check his watch – 9 pm: the day was almost over. At least it finally stopped snowing.

Just when he thought about giving up, he felt a presence loom over him and heard a voice he had been dying to hear all day. The newcomer chuckled.

"Either you tried sitting a roller coaster on your own, or you rowed a gondola and got seasick."

"Apollo?" Phoenix inclined his head to meet the teasing gaze of the young attorney. As always, he radiated a boyish charm that he found both attractive and incredibly endearing. "And where have you been? I've been trying to contact you all day! And where's Trucy?"

"Sorry, I was mostly... compromised – he offered a cup of hot cocoa – Here."

Phoenix blinked at the steaming drink in surprise. _Even when preoccupied he thought about me?_ He accepted the paper cup gratefully; it warmed his hands and he took a tentative sip. Thankfully, the light blush on his cheeks could be easily excused for pleasure from the cocoa's heat. Apollo took a seat next to him and sipped from his own cup.

"Oh, Trucy's in the restroom by the way. She's been in there for a while."

"Is she ok?"

"Too many thrill rides and way too much cotton candy."

"Ah."

A comfortable silence lapsed between them and they sat with their knees just barely touching each other. The streetlamps and park lights were already lit; festive music sailed through the air from the theme park's various speakers and they could see the ferris wheel in the distance. The scene was enchanting, the mood heart-warming and it reminded Phoenix of the recent Christmas celebration they shared in the office. It was his and Trucy's first Christmas with Apollo and despite the few hiccups along the way like the oven exploding, the tree catching fire and Apollo's very own set of specially ordered magic boxers getting lost in the mail (he was honestly ok with not receiving any presents this year), Trucy had proclaimed it was the best Christmas ever and he couldn't agree more. Having Apollo around always made any celebration all the more magical, like it was complete; like it was where he should be.

"Say, Apollo," he began all of a sudden, "you should consider staying on in the 'Wright Talent Agency'."

Apollo shot him a bemused stare. "What are you talking about? I'm already working there, aren't I?"

"No, I mean more like… family."

"Family?" he echoed in honest surprise, before averting his eyes in embarrassment. If this was another one of his boss' teasings, he'd honestly sock him. "Are you serious? Do you really think… that is… I never had… I mean – he met Phoenix's kind gaze – really, sir?"

"I do."

Apollo smiled; his eyes were shining. He turned to fully face Phoenix himself, nursing his drink in his hands. In all honesty, he'd wanted the same thing too, but asking would've been presumptuous, not to mention incredibly embarrassing. And knowing his boss, he'd probably store that information for future blackmailing purposes. Phoenix was annoying that way.

"So, do I start calling you 'dad' now?"

"Please don't."

He laughed. "Fine, fine…" Then a sudden thought occurred to him. "You know, I never sat a single calm ride all day."

"And I never sat a _single ride_ all day," Phoenix countered a tad glumly to which Apollo stared in shock.

"Seriously?" He paused in consideration. "Well… you love those gondolas, right? Since I'm free now, we could sit it together. I can even row for the both of us, Mr. Wright! What do you say?"

Phoenix smiled beautifully at Apollo's enthusiasm. "I'd like that."

"Then it's a date!"

That particular expression caused him to choke on his drink. If only his apprentice wasn't so dense. Phoenix placed his drink aside and turned to face Apollo's expectant stare. He figured now was as good a time as any to come clean with his feelings, but his hands were shaking again.

"Apollo, there's been something I've been meaning to say to you. For almost a year now."

"Oh right. You were going to tell me something before Trucy dragged me off." He folded his arms and flashed his boss a wide, unsuspecting grin. It was bright and eager, and it filled Phoenix's heart with a sense of dread.

"So, what is it?"

Phoenix opened his mouth, but to his horror, no sound came out. _No, not again._ Panic quickly seeped into his features and it didn't go unnoticed by Apollo, who regarded him with trepidation.

"Mr. Wright?"

 _Now or never, Phoenix._

"Apollo, I… I…" He felt like he was going to faint. _"I - !"_

"Mr. Wright, are you ok? You're all red and you're hyperventilating…" Apollo placed a comforting hand on his shoulder while the other flew to his chest. "Your heart's racing like crazy! I'm calling the park medics-"

" _No!"_ His hand shot out and grasped Apollo's shoulder to hold him in place. "I'm fine… I can do this."

"That's the spirit, sir! You're fine, and I'll be fine. I can handle anything! Just let the truth out!"

Goodness, if only Apollo knew what he was saying. Well, here went everything.

"Apollo, the thing is – I really like y-"

 _Brrrrrrring!_

 _OH FOR THE LOVE OF –_

Apollo accepted the call and raised his cell phone to his ear.

"Hello, this is Justice! … Alright, I'll be right over. Just _don't touch anything_ until I'm – ok... _OK_ … Bye."

He hung up and gazed at Phoenix apologetically.

"Sorry, Mr. Wright, but we're going to have to take a rain check on that boat ride."

"Who was it?" asked Phoenix, but in all honesty he didn't really care. He was simply keeping up with appearances because he knew if he didn't at least _try_ to be polite, he'd explode and quite possibly take the whole theme park along with him.

"Let's just say there's been some... _technical_ difficulties."

What, did Apollo and/or Trucy break some of the rides? If so, he sincerely hoped neither of them tagged him by association.

"Mr. Wright, I…"

Phoenix sighed, "Go. I'll wait."

Apollo flashed him a grateful smile. "Thanks! I'll be right back. I promise." Then he added as an afterthought, "Don't go anywhere."

Shooting his idol one last apologetic stare, he took off, leaving Phoenix alone to wallow in his self-pity once more. However, he tried to be a little positive this time: Apollo did say he'd be back; he just had to wait a little bit longer. And maybe he could try again later. He pictured that boat ride with Apollo in his mind: just the two of them in a single gondola out on the open waters, _far away_ from land – alone, undisturbed, romantic, void of distractions, maybe sharing a kiss or two – and smiled dreamily to himself. Yeah, it'll all be worth it in the end.

Just then, he felt his cell phone vibrate and he fished it out of his coat pocket. It was a text from Trucy and he opened it.

' _Daddy… can you come pick me up? I don't feel so good and I wanna go home…'_

Upon reading that message, Phoenix felt two things: concern and disappointment. Concerned obviously because she was his daughter and his protective, fatherly instincts kicked into overdrive and screamed at him to freakin' carry her home _immediately._ Fuck the ferry timings; he'd _drive_ it himself if he had to. But also disappointed because that would mean giving up his date with Apollo and blowing his chances of confessing his feelings by the end of this evening and by extension, by the end of this year.

The final decision was a no-brainer really.

 _Phoenix: Ok, sweetie, just hang in there. When we get home, I'll make you some hot chicken stew._

 _Trucy: Yay! You're the best daddy!_

 _Phoenix: Haha! Ok, where do I come rescue you?_

 _Trucy: At the entrance by the lake._

He took off like lightning and left his cup of hot cocoa unfinished.

* * *

' _Where are you?'_

That was probably the 7th message he sent her and still he received no reply. He had reached the entrance at record time and wandered up and down along the giant lake for the past two hours. At first, he thought he would wait and give Trucy some time to make her way here, considering she was ill and all. However, when minutes dragged into hours, he got worried. That was when he alternated between messaging and calling, but whenever he got through, the line would immediately cut before it could even ring. Then, he _really_ panicked.

What if something bad happened to her? Did she faint somewhere? Maybe her phone was just acting up… or maybe she got kidnapped and her kidnapper had her phone on them!? It was just like that time with Maya. Was it Shelly de Killer? Phoenix suddenly remembered that Ema was on duty at the vicinity and immediately _freaked._

"P-Police. Need to call the police."

But he received a reply before he could do just that.

' _I'm here.'_

Phoenix instantly felt himself deflate in relief.

 _Phoenix: Thank goodness! You had me so worried! Why didn't you answer my messages or pick up my calls? What took you so long?! 2 hours?!_

 _Trucy: Hehe! Sorry, daddy, I got a little distracted…_

 _Phoenix: You could have told me! I rushed over, you know?_

 _Trucy: So, you didn't wait like you were told?_

Phoenix paused abruptly, frowning at Trucy's latest reply. Well that was the strangest thing he read all day. He shook his head and quickly typed his response.

 _Phoenix: What are you… never mind. Not important. Where are you now?_

 _Trucy: Turn around._

Phoenix did just that and was overcome with immense surprise and confusion when it was one Apollo Justice he met instead of his daughter.

"Surprise!"

"Ehhhh?!"

He looked at his phone, at Apollo's smug and amused smirk, then back to his phone. He even checked his contacts in case he messed up Apollo and Trucy's numbers. He looked so hopelessly lost, Apollo could practically see a thousand and one question marks flying around his head. And then, when all else failed to make sense, Phoenix went with the most logical conclusion his poor, tired brain could fathom at a time like this.

"Ah, I get it, you got to her first. Ok, ok… so where is she? Is she alright?"

"There was never a Trucy, Mr. Wright," said Apollo mysteriously as he flashed said girl's sky blue cell phone with a little Mr. Hat key-chain dangling off it. He pocketed the phone and approached his idol.

"And you were right about one thing," he continued, stopping in front of Phoenix with a smirk, "calling you 'dad', or rather, _daddy,_ is just plain weird."

Phoenix was too stunned to speak. But did that mean – What did it – About that – And then that – _Huh?_

Taking pity on the poor, confused older male, Apollo decided to be less cryptic. He reached out and held Phoenix's mitten-clad hands with his own gloved ones, tenderly, affectionately and Phoenix blushed behind his muffler. He could do it now. His own crush was practically gifting him this opportunity and he had screwed up so many times, failing _now_ would probably give him the best indication to drop everything and give up on this silly plan for good.

"Um… Apollo? I… I…"

He hated himself. It wasn't very manly, but he honestly felt like curling into a ball and crying. It was always like this. Whenever he thought he could actually say it, he got tongue-tied and ended up painfully mute. But he refused to give up now. He loved Apollo so much, he _couldn't._

"I… I really…"

He felt a finger against his lips. Apollo was smiling at him, his lips sexy and inviting and his eyes warm and full of love. He let out a low chuckle.

"I know," he murmured and withdrew his finger, never once taking his knowing eyes off Phoenix. "It's almost midnight. Count down with me, would you?"

Phoenix's eyes darted to the theme park's clock tower in the distance. It was 11.59 pm and the second hand was rapidly ticking away. When he returned his curious gaze to Apollo, the latter's eyes simply screamed 'Trust me!' and Phoenix found himself giving in to both Apollo and his mounting curiosity.

"Uh… O-Ok… 10."

"9," Apollo followed after him.

"8."

"7."

"6."

"5 – Apollo pressed a button on his cell phone and raised it to his ear – keep counting, Mr. Wright."

Phoenix stammered, "4…"

"Hey, it's Justice."

"3."

"I just want to thank you guys for everything."

"2."

"Alright, team…"

"1."

"Now!"

The clock chimed 12 and on cue, an enchanting piano and guitar serenade played through the theme park speakers. The melody carried through the wintry air, soft, gentle and beautiful like silk, and if Phoenix were to close his eyes, he could have easily pictured snow dancing around them. Apollo cupped his ear and whispered into it, and Phoenix automatically leaned in with innocent interest.

"Look up."

He inclined his head and no sooner than he did that, a brilliant display of fireworks exploded across the midnight sky in bursts of color. Some looked like shooting stars, others soared like rockets. The fireworks went off according to the tune and timing of the live music and Phoenix was taken by the sheer beauty of the performance and moment. It was wonderful, so amazingly wonderful he was speechless. And just then, forged out of the sparks, an image of two sets of _very familiar_ hair spikes appeared, followed by a sequence of red fireworks that shot into the air to surround them in the shape of a large heart. Phoenix felt tears gather in his eyes and covered his mouth with his hand to stifle his surprise. He understood perfectly.

"Do you like it?" said Apollo with a gentle voice.

"H-How?" Was all he managed.

"Honestly, when you saw my calendar this morning, I got worried," Apollo replied a tad guiltily. "That's why I tried to distract you – I didn't want you to turn my efforts around and ruin your own surprise."

 _He planned all this from the start._

"Well, I'm surprised, alright."

Apollo nervously took his idol's free hand between his own. It tickled Phoenix to note that the kid's face was glowing redder than a hot iron poker.

"M-Mr. Wright, I like you."

Phoenix's heart pounded a tattoo against his chest and he felt his world stop.

 _What?_

"I've _always_ liked you. And as crazy as this might sound, I liked you before I even met you…"

 _All this time…_

"I just have one thing to ask you though."

When a blushing and emotional Phoenix blinked at him curiously, Apollo indicated at the fireworks display. As if on cue, the words 'Will you go out with me?' appeared in brilliant sparks and Phoenix shook. _Oh my God._ He sniffed and blinked back his tears. He knew he ought to feel embarrassed, what with the display plastered vividly across the sky for all park-goers to see, but strangely, he didn't – or rather, the surreality of the moment prevented him from doing so.

'All this… just to tell me he likes me?'

His tears fell like stars, soaking the mitten-clad hand which was still pressed over his mouth. Over a dozen things raced through his mind; he couldn't find the right words to express his joy, so he simply smiled and settled for nodding his head fervently instead. The look on Apollo's face resembled a child's on Christmas morning.

"R-Really?! I'm glad, sir!"

" _Shh!_ Apollo, not so loud… and I told you not to call me 'sir'."

"Sorry."

All around them, couples, friends and families alike stopped to admire the magical spectacle, but in Phoenix's world, only Apollo existed and nothing else. He moved to lean against the railings, watching as the waters below reflected the fireworks in the sky, creating a dual, almost seamless masterpiece. Absently, he realised it would normally snow all night and was touched that Apollo took special precautions to check and ensure it wouldn't at this particular time.

"You planned all of this?" he asked.

"Yeah… It blew a massive hole in my bank account – Apollo flashed him an endearing smile – but it was worth it."

"Apollo…"

What could he say? The kid really went all out with a bang. He was touched and hopelessly smitten.

"I called in a few favors," Apollo continued proudly, "old clients; friends. People who want us to be happy."

"Like Ema?"

" _Argh,_ don't remind me," he began his rampage. "For a detective, she almost gave it all away! Also, you wouldn't believe how _difficult_ it is to get a permit from the police to light up a bunch of fireworks. Thankfully, the Kitakis offered to help 'speed up' the process – don't worry, it's all legal. And Trucy misplaced her magic panties halfway into the day and we almost didn't _have_ any fireworks. And Vera claimed she needed more practice with the images, so I had to order _more._ Plus, I had to fly Machi all the way from Borginia and that cost a friggin' _bomb._ And Prosecutor Gavin was _so_ \- "

Unable to help himself, Phoenix leaned in to place chaste kiss on Apollo's cheek. The latter's eyes widened comically, blushing, and Phoenix giggled.

"Thank you."

It was spoken with so much love and honesty, it drew forth a dreamy smile from Apollo. He held onto Phoenix's hand tighter and the older squeezed his back.

"Oh yeah! I got this for you," Apollo suddenly remembered, thrusting said object into Phoenix's hands.

"It's a… plant," he observed lamely.

"Yeah! I got it just before we got on the ferry. You love houseplants, right? I noted it down in the Journal of Justice!"

Apollo looked so pleased with himself, Phoenix didn't have the heart to turn his gift down. Or tell him the truth that he had only said he was interested in plants because he didn't want Apollo to find out he was actually reading girly romance articles. Nevertheless, it was a sweet gesture.

"Thanks. It's nice to know that Charlie finally has a friend," said Phoenix with a sentimental smile. "So, what does he look like to you?"

"Hmm… I'd say a 'Cornelius'."

"Really?" He laughed. "Ok, Cornelius it is! Let's look after them together."

"Alright."

As they watched the fireworks go off together, Phoenix was overcome with a sudden conviction. Truth be told, it had been on his mind for a while now. All he needed was the right push.

And now, he had it.

"Hey, Apollo, I was thinking of renaming the place. How does the 'Wright Anything Agency' sound?"

"Sir…?"

Phoenix turned to regard his crush-turned-boyfriend with a mysterious smirk.

"I've been studying in my free time. Thinking of re-taking that bar exam…"

Apollo's heart skipped a beat. 'Wait a minute, is he saying what I think he's saying?'

"I think… I think I'm ready to practice law again – I'm not afraid anymore. And when I get my badge back, we could run the agency together – as partners." With shy yet hopeful eyes, Phoenix lowered his voice into a tentative whisper, "Wait for me?"

 _OH, HELL YES._

As the music and fireworks reached its grand finale above their heads, Apollo shot his idol a dazzling grin, one that was beautifully returned. Yes – it was definitely going to be an amazing year ahead. They could both feel it.

"Happy New Year, Mr. Wright."

"Happy New Year, Apollo."

Apollo grabbed his boss by his muffler and gently pulled him in for a soft kiss. When he felt Phoenix respond eagerly in kind, he smiled against his lips. He couldn't wait for his Comeback King.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

Something fluffy to kick-start the new year. I went with something sentimental by featuring AJ:AA characters to show how much time has passed. New Years' is a time of reflection and cherishing what you have, so I tried to portray that. Also, if Apollo really went about confessing his love to Phoenix, this is how I imagined it.

For those interested, the playlist for this one shot collection is available for listening on my profile!


	7. Stranger

**Author's note:**

If you've watched BoA's "Who Are You" MV and/or heard the song, then you'd probably have a good idea of what I was trying to do with this chapter lol. I promise, it's a really cute video, so please go and watch it! :D

 **Review response:**

 _Ms. Lenny Face -_ Haha! Great to know that you're reading and loving my work, thank you! I hope you'll continue to support me and this story :)

* * *

 **20 Kisses: Hero Worship**

 **by Dark Interval**

 **Seventh Kiss: Stranger**

* * *

It all started when Phoenix got himself a new phone.

Not that his old phone was anything less than spectacular (so what if it was old-fashioned? As long as he could send messages and make calls, that was all that mattered, right?), but old faithful had gotten crushed from a recent perilous investigation and Trucy saw it as an excellent opportunity to convince him to get with the times. Also, it was supposed to be _his_ phone, but his daughter and Athena had been fiddling with said device all morning and he feared he wouldn't be able to make heads or tails with it when it finally got back to him. He seriously hoped they didn't set his ringtone to one of those girly pop songs that were the latest craze these days. Even with his old phone, he hadn't been able to figure out how to change his ringtone since Maya set it to 'The Steel Samurai'.

"Here you go, boss!" Athena threw the TV phone at him and he frantically caught it before it hit the ground. "I've set it up for you! And I took the liberty of adding mine and Trucy's numbers into the contacts list. You can slowly fill up the rest yourself."

"Ok, thanks," he muttered.

"And I downloaded and registered you on a dating app, daddy!"

"You did what?!"

Trucy giggled and stuck out her tongue sheepishly. "Ehehehe… surprise?"

" _Trucy!_ " Then he noticed Athena wasn't looking too innocent herself. _"Athena!"_

"But, boss– / But, daddy–"

"You're both grounded! Go to your rooms!"

"But I don't have a room!" Athena yelled. "I don't even live here!"

"Don't sass me, young lady!"

" _Ooo!_ I shouldn't have let you talk me into this, 'Thena!" Trucy whined.

"Me?! It was _your_ idea!"

"But you were the one who told me about that app!"

"And you were the one who said you got it all under control!"

" _Kids!_ No fighting–"

"Traitor!"

"Yellow-girl!"

"Boss, will you defend me if I kill your daughter?"

" _I WILL TURN THIS CAR AROUND RIGHT NOW!"_

And that was how Apollo found the three of them bickering in the middle of the office on a Friday morning. He shut the door behind him and tossed his bag and jacket onto the sofa with a sigh. Seriously, could nothing surprise him anymore? He almost dreaded asking, but…

"What's going on?"

"Daddy's going to find me a new mommy!" Trucy cheered.

"Sweetie! Honestly!"

Apollo cocked an eyebrow in honest surprise. Well, this was new.

"Mr. Wright, you've been dating?" Then he realized something and practically exploded. "You've been _slacking off_ while I was busy earning money for rent?!"

"Nope! But he will be," answered Athena with a victory pose. Phoenix didn't know which was worse: Athena unwittingly agreeing with Apollo's accusation, or her implying he'd be dating frequently enough to pass off as a standard career.

"And it's all thanks to this app right here," she continued excitedly as she snatched the phone from Phoenix's hands and opened said application.

"First, you register your number and profile onto the app and it'll automatically source and sort out users who live closest to you or share similar interests in descending order. And if you're feeling more adventurous, it also lets you explore and seek out profiles that interest you, which aren't necessarily compatible."

Phoenix grew increasingly peeved during Athena's explanation. _Girls._ It was like he didn't even exist –

"So, how does it work exactly?"

"Apollo, not you too?!"

But the three of them ignored him and he was left to simmer in silence.

"It's not that difficult, really," Athena explained to her fellow co-workers. "It's basically a social networking platform for you to chat up any user who tickles your fancy. It's even linked to certain dining sponsors for quick and easy bookings. Oh, look – she held up the phone to Phoenix's eye level – you already have a date, boss!"

" _I WHAT?!"_

Phoenix snatched the phone from Athena's fingers and true enough, he had a date, or to be more precise, a new chat window. The other party was more or less anonymous save their username and icon of a tea cup. That was the other thing about this dating app: each party's identity was completely confidential to add a little suspense to the whole blind date idea.

A quick scan through this stranger's profile revealed that they were exceptionally dignified, classy, with a wealthy background and exceptional reputation, not to mention an insane overachiever with the amount of awards and credentials tagged to their name. They were practicing law within the same vicinity as well, was even from the same grade school, and most importantly – at least to Phoenix – wasn't averse to children and/or his single-parent status. All these commonalities probably contributed to this stranger's place at the top of his list, as well as their high compatibility level. Phoenix didn't want to admit it, but whoever this person was, they actually sounded… pretty darn amazing.

' _I've perused your profile and though some of your phrasings could use a fair bit of work, I must say I'm impressed by your impeccable record in court and am intrigued to hear more. Our similar professions and origins leave us much to discuss. Would you care to join me for a little tête-à-tête?'_ was what the message read. It was quickly followed by an invitation for a table for two at 'The White Lady', a boutique café that was just under three blocks away.

"Ooh, fancy! This one looks good! Will you go, daddy? Will you, will you?" Trucy gazed up at him with big, shining eyes as she jumped up and down and Phoenix didn't have the heart to say otherwise.

"Well, I…" he began, admittedly half-sold.

"I don't know, sir," interrupted Apollo with a wary frown. "This person sounds a little too good to be true. You shouldn't believe all you read online."

That was true.

"But why would they lie, especially when boss himself is a lawyer?" Athena countered. "It's not worth the risk of you ask me."

That was also true.

"You're just jealous, Polly, cuz daddy's got a date and you don't," Trucy teased, sticking out her tongue.

"I am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"You _so_ are!" Athena chimed in to which she promptly got smacked in the face with a cushion.

Phoenix cleared his throat to get their attention before they got too loud and the neighbors complained again.

"So… Uh… Hm," he stared at his phone screen, conflicted. "Should I…?"

"I think it's great, boss!"

"I still think it's pretty suspicious…"

"Well, _I_ think," Trucy cut in, hugging Phoenix around the waist, "they sound wonderful and daddy deserves to be happy!"

And against his better judgement, Phoenix's heart melted from her sincerity. "Sweetie…"

"So, are you going, daddy?"

Phoenix's thumb hovered over the 'accept' icon. Well, he didn't see any harm in trying and he wasn't getting any younger. Plus, it would be a tad refreshing to get back into the whole dating scene; and Trucy _really_ wanted a mother...

"Oh, what the heck."

He tapped 'accept'.

* * *

After a dozen outfit changes later, Phoenix finally settled on a white shirt with the collar undone, a navy-blue sweater, and a pair of skinny-fit khaki pants. He did his best to tame his spiky hair a touch, save that one annoying strand that kept falling forward; and to his horror, Athena even did his makeup, which wasn't so bad now that he thought about it – the subtle touches enhanced his cheekbones and brought out the glow of his eyes. Hm… maybe he'd start looking into this 'makeup' thing a little more. Although it did make him look effeminate, he'd gotten more interested stares from women along the streets in the past ten minutes than he had in a decade.

'White Lady… White Lady… Ah, here.' He stopped outside said cafe and peered through the glass doors tentatively. Damn, he had gone with the smart-casual look, but he still felt so out-of-place. The boutique cafe, though quaint, practically owned the entire building, which was done up to resemble a colonial hotel. Even the doors were those fancy revolving ones and if he listened hard enough, he could hear classical music playing from within.

'Definitely an heiress,' he mentally concluded. This arrangement practically screamed "High standards or No standard" and he started to feel a little faint. He wasn't sure his wallet could handle this much class and he hoped and prayed the date was on her.

Suddenly, he received a message.

' _I wish you wouldn't tally. I'm here at my usual seat by the window. I'm wearing red.'_

'Usual seat?!' Phoenix fought down his nerves and did his best to recall how a perfect gentleman should act. For once, his years of studying acting could finally be put to good use. Honestly, he hoped he just didn't end up insulting her good taste.

Stepping into the cafe, his eyes did a quick sweep of the place, specifically at all the window seats. Not a single patron there was alone or wearing anything red except…

Phoenix blanched. _Oh no. Oh no, no, no._

This couldn't be happening to him. The image of a gorgeous, supermodel-type body, multi-billionaire heiress practicing law completely shattered, only to be replaced with a single, disappointing –

" _Edgeworth?!"_

Said man looked up from his phone. Their eyes met. For a moment, neither said a word – Phoenix unabashedly gaping like a fish out of water while Miles simply stared at him blankly. The latter had his arms folded, his fingers tapping impatiently as he regarded his old rival through his glasses with unimpressed countenance.

"Wright," he greeted with a nasty smirk. "It's been a while; though I must say, I never expected you to dine at a place like thi–" He saw the dating app opened on Phoenix's phone screen and nearly fell out of his seat. "IT CAN'T BE!"

"Sorry, Edgeworth, but you're the only one here wearing red," answered Phoenix with a nervous laugh.

Miles' left eye twitched and he fought down a sigh. That profile on never losing a single case; having a knack for turning things around; coming from the same grade school; excellent "persuasive" skills (bluffing would be more accurate)...

"I should've known."

Phoenix smiled at him hesitantly.

"Well, seeing as the app thinks we're extremely compatible, maybe… we could make this work? You know, between us?"

"As much as it pains me to say this, perhaps." With a nod of his head, Miles indicated at the seat opposite him with the reluctance of an office worker crawling to work on Monday. "Have a seat."

"Um… uh… ok," Phoenix stammered as he shuffled to sit across his old rival. Out of all things he expected Miles to say regarding their awkward situation, obliging definitely wasn't it, not even close. On the bright side, at least he now knew he wouldn't have to foot the bill.

The first few minutes of their "date" was spent in silence. While Phoenix struggled to keep any conversation topic going – How've you been? How are things as the new Chief Prosecutor? Is your office bigger? Is the pay good? Any new job openings? – Miles's eyes were desperately looking at everything else that _wasn't_ Phoenix, quietly drinking his stupid tea; and said lawyer actually found himself growing increasingly annoyed with his so-called date. Wasn't Miles the one who wanted to go ahead with this? Then why the heck wasn't he very charming; romantic; busy sweeping him off his feet?

"How's your daughter, Wright?"

Edgeworth's question came so suddenly, it took Phoenix by surprise.

"Trucy? She's doing great; a genius as always," he replied with a proud grin. "Perhaps a little too smart. She's the one responsible for, well – he indicated at them – this."

"I see."

"She's been going on about wanting a 'mommy'," he continued quickly, not wanting the conversation to drop. "So, I decided to do this for her. She's a good kid and more than anything, I want her to be happy."

"I see."

Miles was losing interest fast. It was time to bring in the heat.

"How did _you_ start using the app, Edgeworth? Are you looking for a mommy – er, I mean, partner too?"

Miles let out a long, painful sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation.

"No, Detective Gumshoe set it up without my knowledge. Ever since he and Miss Byrde got married, he's been badgering me to settle down myself."

"And how has that been working out for you?" asked Phoenix.

"Honestly, Wright, you're my first date."

"Oh."

If he were Edgeworth, he figured he'd be mighty disappointed himself. But a strange compulsion possessed him and he decided to try his luck, at least to satisfy his curiosity and self-worth.

"Hey, Edgeworth… I know you didn't know it was me before, but now that you do, are you still interested?"

Miles stiffened. "In what?"

"Me. Are you interested in me?"

"... No."

Three psyche-locks appeared and Phoenix fell off his seat.

Miles frowned. "What?"

"N-Nothing!"

He knew he was blushing, so he quickly grabbed the menu and hid his face behind its needlessly tall pages. _Woah…_ Edgeworth liked him? He nervously peered over the edge of the menu and realised his date and childhood friend was looking at him and not _just_ looking at him, but _admiring_ him. The critical gaze was gone and Miles' eyes carried something soft and pleasant. If Phoenix didn't know any better, he'd say they actually looked dreamy, but since this was Miles, he went with 'distracted'.

"You cleaned up, Wright," Miles observed with the barest quirk of his lips. It was a rare smile and in all his years of knowing the aloof man, this was the first time Phoenix actually saw him smiling. His cheeks turned pink and he waved his date off with an embarrassed laugh.

"Nah, it's the makeup–"

"No."

"Eh?"

Miles reached for the menu and lowered it to get a better look at Phoenix's face.

"You look good, Wright. You always have."

"Edgeworth…"

Phoenix felt his heart melt. Who would've thought Edgeworth could be capable of being sweet – _to him no less!_ And seeing as their years of heated rivalry had already come to pass… Maybe this date, maybe _they_ could really work out after all.

"So do you, Edgeworth," he replied, blushing. "I… I really like what you did with the glasses. It's… It's a good look."

"So I've been told."

Miles pulled back and resumed sipping his tea in an ostensibly good mood compared to earlier.

"Order whatever you want and don't worry about the price." A hint of kindness flashed through his eyes. "I'm the one who asked you out. Your company and this date, it's my pleasure."

Phoenix's eyes sparkled. _Best. Date. Ever._ He raised his hand and called the waiter over. He saw the most expensive item on the menu and he wanted it.

"Hi, I'd like to have the 'White Lady's Signature Steak', please!"

"And how would you like it, sir?" asked the waiter.

"Well done!"

"Objection!" Miles interrupted, thoroughly unimpressed. Their date had only just kicked off, but he heard enough.

"Everyone knows the best way to eat steak is medium rare. No one eats it well done. It's a disgrace to the pallet, and Wright, you're a disgrace to fine dining everywhere."

Phoenix bristled and had to resist smoldering his date to death with a napkin. _What the hell?_ He was a paying (close enough) customer and he would eat his steak whatever damn way he pleased! What was Mr. Fancypants' problem?!

"Objection!" Phoenix slammed his hands onto the table, before whipping out a news article out of nowhere. "I have decisive evidence that states under-cooked food, such as steak, increases the risk of food poisoning!"

"Objection!" Miles slammed a hand on the table and pulled out a food review. "I have decisive evidence that contradicts your claim. According to this food review published by the institute of fine dinning, out of five stars, 'White Lady' is a five-star cafe that has never reported a single case of food poisoning till this date!"

As their arguing and table-banging grew more heated, the other patrons stopped to stare; the music ceased; even the poor waiter looked like he wanted to quit.

"Well, I have decisive evidence that will overturn your decisive evidence!"

"Then I have new decisive evidence that will overturn your decisive evidence!"

"Edgeworth, that doesn't even make sense!"

"Yes, it does!"

"Objection!"

"Objection!"

" _Objection!"_

* * *

Athena lounged across the couch with her mouth wide open, counting the cracks on the ceiling. She was now extremely positive people could die from boredom. On the other end of the couch, Trucy was doing the same thing. It was a slow afternoon at the 'Wright Anything Agency' – no clients, no Phoenix making them clean toilets, nothing.

 _So… bored…_

"Hey, Apollo?"

"Yeah?" came the distracted drawl.

"How do you think boss' date is going?"

Apollo shrugged as he continued punching in numbers on his calculator. "Don't know, don't care."

Trucy sighed wistfully. "Well, I hope it's going great! Daddy's date sounds wonderful – like a princess!" She turned onto her stomach and faced him. "Hey, Polly, do you think they're in love already?"

"Love at first sight doesn't happen, Trucy," he replied grumpily.

"What?! But I think it does!" Athena countered with passion, her and Widget all fired up.

"Me too!" exclaimed Trucy.

"Humph! Apollo just doesn't have a single romantic bone in his body!"

"Maybe he needs to use the app too!"

"Hehe! Good idea! You grab his phone, I'll set it up!"

"Then Polly won't be so lonely anymore and he'd quit being such a sourpuss!"

"Hey, Truce, what if boss' date goes so well, they decide to get married?"

"Ooh! Hey, Polly, do you think daddy will bring home a mommy tonight?"

"Apollo –"

"Polly –"

" _THAT'S IT!"_

Apollo slammed his fists onto the desk and the girls jumped in fright.

"You want to know what _I_ think? _Fine!_ I think that if you two are bored enough to come up with a bunch of stupid theories about Mr. Wright's sad and nonexistent love life, you can handle the accounts on your own!"

Athena whimpered, "But I'm a defense lawyer…"

"Oh, would you look at that – _so am I!_ "

"Polly, what's your problem?!" Trucy huffed, hands on her hips as she glared him down. "You've been acting weird since this morning."

"My problem?" Apollo echoed, "I can't say, because one's all sunshine-and-rainbows and one's too young to understand."

He turned to grab his bag and jacket.

"I'm taking the rest of the day off."

"But –"

"You can't –"

He left and slammed the door shut before either girl could so much as finish their sentence.

While descending the building stairway, Apollo paused midway as soon as his anger dissipated. _Argh,_ he already regretted what he just did. It wasn't Athena or Trucy's fault – they meant well and cared for Phoenix just like he did. Just like he _always_ secretly did. And Apollo knew that the only person to blame for his current frustration and bitterness, was himself. He had taken his mentor for granted, assumed Phoenix would always be hanging around and heavily dependent on him; too busy running the agency to bother about romantic relationships; and thanks to a stupid dating app, he had to live with the fear of losing his hero-turned-crush to a complete, undeserving stranger.

 _I need to stop the date right now._

He fished his phone out of his pocket and pulled out Phoenix's contact details. His thumb hovered over the call icon, hesitating. He could do this. Just one call. _Just one excuse…_

His hand shook; he couldn't do it. Just remembering how happy Phoenix had looked getting ready earlier, prettily made up and leaving the office, a skip in his step like a high school boy on his first date, weakened his resolve. Destroying that happiness was worse than giving his idol and long-time crush up to somebody else.

Apollo stared at his phone screen longingly, specifically at the handsome, smiling photo of Phoenix he used for the man's profile. Back then, Phoenix had turned his head at something Trucy said, an innocent expression on his face, and he secretly snapped a shot.

It was so frustrating. He thought he'd made his dependence on his mentor known during the Phantom's trial and Clay's death. Apparently, he was the only one who read too much into his own words and actions. Didn't Phoenix notice his feelings at all? Couldn't he hear his heart screaming every single day that he _wanted_ him? That he'd do _anything_ for him?

"Mr. Wright…"

His thumb trailed over the picture's smile and a sudden determination gripped him. Well then, if he had to fight for Phoenix's heart, then so be it. Apollo pocketed the phone; taking two steps at a time as he raced down the stairs and out across the street.

* * *

Phoenix rubbed his sore ass as he walked aimlessly down the corner of 'White Lady', a dark cloud of depression raining down on his previous good mood. Well, that was a complete bust. After being literally thrown out of the café (he didn't understand why Edgeworth didn't get the same treatment) – ashamed, miserable and dateless – he didn't feel particularly keen on returning to the office to report his failure to Trucy, so he took the long way home instead. However, he didn't get far in both his planned explanation and distance, before his phone buzzed. It was that darn dating app again.

' _Ah, I see that you're already on a date. Is it too late for me to cut in?'_

'Wow, another one?' Phoenix wondered to himself in amazement. The last time he was this popular was when the press hounded him non-stop after his disbarment.

Again, this new stranger also practiced law within the same vicinity, was supportive towards his single-parent status, but the similarities more or less ended there. They were a frequent traveler; lived abroad but decided to settle down here; was fluent in at least two different languages apart from their main one; composed music and lyrics in their free time; and loved long conversations into the night. In other words, a pure romantic and just what he needed to win Trucy's 100% approval. Also, a small, secret part of him liked long conversations into the night. He used to do that with Dahlia before he found out she simply left him on speaker and went to bed as soon as he started talking.

' _By all means, cut in whenever you want,'_ he typed to which the stranger replied with a line of strange symbols that he suspected was their way of laughing in their language.

' _Date not going so well?'_

' _Nice place, terrible guy.'_

' _I'm sorry to hear that, though that kind of works in my favor, ja?'_

' _You're pretty opportunistic.'_

' _Many have called me a prince, but I'm afraid my blade can be pretty sharp when I see something I want… Shall I come rescue you?'_

That brought a smirk to Phoenix's lips as he frantically typed his response. He had forgotten the last time he felt so excited and incredibly taken by anyone.

' _That depends how keen you are. Not to sound negative, but compared to you, I'm not exactly the most interesting person around.'_

' _Liebling, you have no idea.'_

' _Uh… that's not my name...'_

' _It's what you call 'darling' in your language.'_

' _Oh…'_

Phoenix sent a flustered emoticon. The stranger laughed again and sent him a flying kiss emoticon in return. Phoenix found himself smiling; whoever this person was, he felt comfortable with them already. Definitely far more approachable compared to Edgeworth.

' _I see you're near 'White Lady'. The bar I'm playing at is just at the end of the street – 'The Muses'. I'll be having my break in five minutes. Liebling, will I see you soon?'_

Phoenix was too busy running to type a proper reply, so he sent a heart instead.

When he got to the bar, he was immediately blown away by the large crowd gathered inside. The humble establishment wasn't very big to begin with, but that was _a lot_ of people on a Friday afternoon, even for a lunch crowd. The place was either very popular for their food and drinks, or judging by all the giggling and screaming girls, they were waiting for some big-shot celebrity to make their appearance. With some difficulty, he squeezed his way through the crowd, careful to keep his hands to himself. Honestly, he couldn't give two shits: he was getting a little hungry and was eager to meet his new date. Maybe she was one of the girls in the crowd… or one of the staff…

"Libeling."

He gasped at the sound of that sensual voice, felt the stranger's hot breath against his ear and large hands wrap around his waist from behind. The person pressed up against him and by both the tone of their voice and feel of their body, Phoenix knew it was a man, but strangely didn't find himself caring or feeling remotely disappointed. He wanted to turn around to see his date's face, but it was too crowded to move and he immediately felt vulnerable like being stuck in the train during rush hour. The man's hands traveled to the ends of his sweater, one pushing both the warm garment and undershirt up to cope a feel of his skin, while the other dipped teasingly past the waistband of his pants to stroke just above his groin. Phoenix squirmed in the man's hold, his face flushing a deep scarlet. _W-What is he-?!_ Long, slender fingers tweaked his nipple and he bit on his lower lip to keep himself from moaning. This wasn't right. He could shout and put the guy on the spot; report him; but he realised he liked it and for that he felt ashamed.

"W-Wait… We shouldn't… All these people…"

"Don't worry, Liebling," his date whispered, licking along the shell of his ear, their hand moving further up his chest, caressing. "No one will look…"

Phoenix gasped and had to bite back another moan. He cursed himself for wearing tight pants.

"I… I thought we were… going… on a d-date?"

At the sound of his nervousness, the man chuckled and to Phoenix's relief, released him.

"Sorry, Liebling, but when I saw you, I simply couldn't resist," he breathed against his ear and Phoenix once more felt helpless under that erotic voice. "There's a private room on the second floor next to the stairs… I'll see you there."

The man slipped away and Phoenix moved quickly, shoving his way through the crowd to get to said location fast in hopes of catching a glimpse of his mysterious date's face. But it appeared the guy knew this place well and had already reached the room before he did. Phoenix stood nervously at the door, neatening up his attire. He heard the melodic chords of a guitar just beyond the wooden barrier and gulped.

 _Show time._

He stepped into the room, shut the door behind him…

"Guten Tag, Herr Wright."

… and nearly threw it back open to flee the place.

"P-Prosecutor Gavin?!" he wanted to yell, but it came out more of a pathetic squeak. " _You're_ my date?!"

This was crazy: why the hell was the app giving him people he already knew in real life? _And why were they all men?_

Klavier flashed him a mysterious smile and patted the spot next to him on the sofa. "Please, have a seat. I promise I won't bite – his eyes flashed playfully –much."

And somehow, Phoenix found himself obeying despite the fact that Klavier had pretty much molested him in public but a few minutes ago. Then again, this wasn't exactly a normal day and he hadn't been making many good choices since this morning. Fortunately, Klavier was considerate enough to slide over some finger food and he felt relieved he could distract himself and his hunger by stuffing his face with some seriously spectacular truffle fries.

"From your reaction, I take it you didn't figure out it was me," said Klavier with a hint of amusement. "And I made sure to be extremely obvious too."

"Rwealry?" answered Phoenix with a mouthful of fries and Klavier didn't know whether to facepalm or admire how innocently adorable the famed defense attorney was outside work.

"Ja. I perform here sometimes during lunch break and it appears I've gotten myself quite the female fan base. But," he paused to tilt Phoenix's chin up so he could get a good look at those vibrant blue eyes he adored seeing so much in court videos, "this is the first time I've felt this way towards a man."

Phoenix blushed and swallowed his food. He could already hear the millions of hearts breaking and picture the flood of hate mail he'd receive if him and Klavier were to actually hit it off as a couple.

"Um… uh… But how did you know it was me?" he asked nervously.

"Your profile was pretty obvious, Herr Wright."

"S-So, you already knew before…"

"Korrekt."

He turned redder if that was even possible. Was it just him, or did it feel hotter all of a sudden? He didn't know if Klavier was actually being serious about him or if he was just looking for a quick fling, but whatever the case, he figured he needed to set the record straight about his own intentions.

"Prosecutor Gavin, you're an _amazing_ guy and I know many girls who'd _kill_ to be in my place right now, but I'm looking for a partner – one who will eventually settle down with me and be a good mother to Trucy. That's why I'm here."

"I see," the blonde chuckled, reclining against the sofa, "and all this time I thought you were already married… Well, that makes things much simpler."

Phoenix blinked slowly. "It does?"

"Of course it does… for me, that is."

And before Phoenix could even gasp, Klavier tackled him onto the sofa, grabbed his wrists, and pinned him beneath him. Straddling Phoenix at the waist, Klavier pressed his lower body against him and Phoenix stopped struggling immediately. In fact, the famed attorney appeared frightened, but at the same time, like an innocent child, inexplicably curious. He didn't know what was happening, but the little devil on his shoulder wanted to see where this was leading to.

Klavier leaned down to whisper in his ear, "Liebling, I want to do so many things to your body…"

"B-But, Trucy- _Ah!"_

Hecried out in surprise when he felt teeth and a pair of lips latch onto his neck, just over his pulse point. They sucked and they sucked, no doubt leaving a mark and against his better judgement, Phoenix found himself enjoying the pleasurable sensation, moaning low and wanton like a cat in heat.

"P-Prosecutor… Gavin…"

"Sorry, Herr Wright, but I'm no mommy," said Klavier as he pulled away to marvel at his handiwork. Dark purple – just the way he liked it. "You, however, can practice being one right now."

While holding Phoenix's wrists down with one hand, Klavier's other hand was free to wander all over the older male's beautifully toned body; grope and massage his tight ass; raise his thighs to poke and rub at his entrance through the material of his pants, signaling his intentions.

"Look at you… Your body's already so eager to be a mommy. It wants to be _filled."_

 _"N-Noooo..."_

"No? Then why are you spreading your legs, Herr Wright?"

It was pure rapture watching Phoenix writhe and moan beneath him, his face flushed prettily from shame and the heat from his desire. The older male's reaction was virgin, _divine,_ and Klavier felt like he was in heaven.

"But… Haa… Prosecutor… Gavin… _Mm_ … I can't… _ah_... be a mom…"

"Why not, Liebling?"

"C-Cuz - " Klavier stroked him through his pants and he gasped, shuddering. Talk about persistent.

"N-No… we shouldn't… we haven't even… d-dated…"

"This _is_ a date, Herr Wright," came the blonde's sexy reply as he reached under Phoenix's shirt to pinch a pert nipple. "And you're dessert."

Phoenix tossed his head in a low, needy moan.

"B-But, we have nothing in common," he struggled to come up with an excuse, but Klavier wasn't having any of it as he pushed Phoenix's shirt past his chest to lavish attention on those sensitive pink buds that were already hard and erect.

"You play piano – lick – I play guitar – suck – and I believe that in time, we can make beautiful music together."

"P-Prosecutor Gavin…"

Klavier began to pull down the zipper of his pants and that immediately jolted the older male back to his senses. With a yell, Phoenix delivered a swift and merciless kick to the blonde's balls and sped out of the room and out of the bar before his conscience caught up with him and he started to feel guilty for what he did to his first and only admirer. Maybe if Klavier didn't hate him after all this, he'd send the guy a nice soft pillow to make the recovery process more comfortable.

* * *

"Please let it be a woman this time," Phoenix prayed as he flipped open his phone to read the latest message.

There wasn't much detail in this stranger's profile, apart from some information that they were of foreign origin and were only visiting the country for a while, as well as a claim that they supposedly loved and were wonderful with kids. Honestly, he was feeling pretty desperate and jaded by now and as long as they didn't have any intention to molest/rape/criticize/insult him, it was fine by him.

' _You fool, how long do you plan on making a lady wait?'_

Yeesh, what crawled up this person's ass and died? At first, he planned to just ignore their message and go home, but upon seeing how they had actually tried to contact him for the past half hour, he gave them the benefit of the doubt.

' _Sorry, I was… compromised,'_ he typed and he certainly hoped his bad mood didn't show. _'I take it from your earlier messages you're keen on a date?'_

' _Foolish fool who relies on foolish assumptions that only a fool would foolishly believe.'_

Oh great – as what Trucy would refer to from her manga – a _tsundere._ And why did this speech pattern look so naggingly familiar? Urgh, he was too tired to think.

' _Sorry! It's just… Look, I had a rough day and I rather not talk about it and before you jump to conclusions, it's not you and I'm not making up excuses. So, I'd appreciate it if you leave me alone.'_

' _I… I see…'_

Well, that was surprisingly easy. He didn't expect them to back off so quickly like that. Did he hurt their feelings? He certainly hoped they weren't feeling insecure about themselves. Now he felt bad for being honest.

' _Hey,'_ he typed hesitantly, but with good intentions, _'I didn't mean to sound – well, mean. I'm sorry. If I made you cry, I'll make it up to you. That is, if you still want to meet?'_

' _You… you want to meet me? Y-you fool!'_

Yup, definitely a _tsundere._ It was kind of cute in an odd way.

' _Haha! I take it that's a 'yes'... wait, you_ _ **are**_ _a girl, right?'_

' _How dare you, fool! I am a_ _ **lady**_ _! Only a foolish fool such as the fool you are will foolishly make such a foolish mistake so foolishly!'_

Yipes! Ok, ok, wrong question to ask. Now he just offended his new (and only) female date and he would rather repeatedly stick his foot in his mouth than mess this one up.

' _So, it says you're good with kids… '_

' _F-Fool! Are y-you… foolishly doubting my claim?!'_

' _Ack! No! Please don't cry!'_

' _I'm n-not cr-crying!'_

' _Sorry, sorry, sorry! Do you like cake? Parfait? Cupcakes? There's a nice unicorn-themed cafe called – uh… 'Unicorn Cafe' and my daughter loves their pastries!'_

He sent the cafe invite and waited patiently.

' _Hah! A foolish name for such a foolish place! … I… I'd love to. I'll see you there.'_

She accepted it and Phoenix hailed the first cab that came his way. Call it a hunch, but he had a feeling that if he was late, or in this case, arrived after his date reached said location, the consequences for his tardiness would be severe. Yet, despite his apprehension, he couldn't help but think this woman to be rather endearing. He was pretty good at reading between the lines and discounting her tough front and less than sugary expressions, he was at least 85% sure that she liked him. For some strange reason, she _liked him;_ and his suspicions were confirmed when she sent him an angry and impatient text claiming that she had already arrived and demanded he hurry up.

Before the cab reached a complete stop, Phoenix threw the door open, tossed a bunch of notes at the poor driver and zipped towards the cafe entrance. He stood nervously at the door; fretted over his hair; checked his makeup, his breath…

'Ok, Phoenix. You can do this. She already likes you, so don't mess this up. Trucy will have a mother and all your troubles will be over. Mission accomplished.'

But as soon as he stuck his head into the café, he got whipped painfully in the face.

"Phoenix Wright!"

 _Good God. WHY?_

* * *

"GET BACK HERE, PHOENIX WRIGHT!"

 _Running, running, running._

He burst out of the cafe the first chance he got and raced down the street like a madman with a whip at his heels, which was an entirely accurate description of his situation right now, especially when his date turned out to be one Franziska von Karma. Honestly, he had no bloody idea what made him miss all the signs. Now that he thought about it, he had to be both blind and horribly stupid to have not made the connection. And "good with kids" his ass! He was _not_ letting a crazy woman with a whip near _his daughter_ even if Franziska was technically the only viable candidate to fulfill the role as Mrs. Wright – Phoenix thought about all the whipping he'd have to bear for the rest of his life and shuddered. On second thought, he'd pass. Besides, considering how little Pearl had told her off and made her cry before, Phoenix seriously doubted that counted as stellar parenting. Franziska was more emotionally fragile than anyone he knew and between caring for Trucy and running the agency, he didn't have time to wait on the woman's every need.

Quickly ducking into an alley, he leaned against a brick wall and sighed in relief. _Lost her._ Now he absolutely dreaded checking his phone. The last time he looked at it, the app had still been open and she had somehow whipped him _through_ the screen. He didn't know how, but she did.

"I want to go home…" he moaned to himself miserably. He was hungry and tired: tired of dating, tired of feeling disappointed, tired of trying to live up to Trucy's expectations and being a good father.

Just when Phoenix made up his mind to hail the first cab home, his phone buzzed again and in his rage, he nearly threw the thing against the wall. _No more dates._ He flipped open the device and fully intended to type his latest admirer just that, when the nature of the message surprised him to the effect that it actually calmed him down.

' _Hi. Is this Mr. Phoenix Wright?'_

One simple question and Phoenix found himself at a complete loss. No pickup lines, no flirting, no snarky insults; completely and absolutely _normal._ And he liked normal. Right now, normal was good.

' _Um… I'm not sure you know how this dating thing works? We're not supposed to reveal our identities.'_

' _Oh, I know perfectly well how it works, and I don't intend to waste time beating around the bush. I'm sure you value honesty more than anyone. Also, don't misunderstand: I just want to talk.'_

Phoenix paused, his gaze honing in on the stranger's last words. Seriously? No date? Just… talking? A small, appreciative smile graced his lips. Talking. Yeah. He could do that.

' _Yes, I'm Wright. '_

' _Actually, I think that would make me right, don't you agree?'_

It took a while, but when he got it, he face palmed and couldn't stop himself from chuckling. The stranger sent a sniggering emoticon and between his laughter, Phoenix sent a shocked one in reply.

' _You're the only person who's successfully followed up on that one. I've been using that joke for years!'_

' _Well, I'm a fan of puns myself. They're a breeze.'_

Smiling, Phoenix's fingers moved across the touchscreen at rapid speed, which was a feat in itself since he only started using his new phone today. The things one could accomplish with the right motivation.

' _You know, I used to be an art major before I switched to law and I did this theater production on puns. Turns out it was just a play on words.'_

 _'Imagine that. I myself wanted to be a banker at first, but I lost interest.'_

 _'Ahaha! Not bad. Oh yeah, you should consider learning sign language by the way.'_

 _'Why? Do all defense lawyers need to?'_

 _'No, but I heard it could be handy.'_

' _Haha! I'd tell you a chemistry joke, but I'm afraid I wouldn't get a reaction.'_

Oh my god, he needed to meet this person.

' _You're a law student?'_

He couldn't help but peruse this stranger's profile. Call him crazy, but he was _really_ interested now even though this person only wanted to chat. He blamed their mutual sense of humor.

' _Actually, I'm already defending in court. I've had some successful cases in the past year.'_

' _You're a defense lawyer? Small world.'_

' _And I've admired you from the beginning, so imagine my surprise when I found you here!'_

' _Eh, is my profile really that obvious?'_

' _Well, yes. But I'm not complaining.'_

Phoenix sent a sheepish emoticon and the stranger laughed.

' _Anyway, to pick up on what you asked, I'm still studying as I practise.'_

' _That's tough.'_

' _Kind of, yeah. But the law is always changing and I'm fighting to improve it. I'll defend anyone who needs someone to believe in them during their darkest times, and I'll never give up, so long as this attorney's badge remains in my possession.'_

Phoenix's heart skipped a beat. What in the world was that? This strange, warm feeling in his chest… He'd never experienced anything like it before. This person's passion and his words – there was just something truly admirable and charming about them and as a defense attorney himself, he was more than willing to share his experiences and advice – _anything_ to keep this conversation going and this person's full, undivided attention on him. They were so much alike in both personality and dreams, talking to this stranger felt like home.

 _Who are you?_

Man or woman, Phoenix didn't care. He just knew they were incredibly attractive to him and he had to meet them, if not today then someday.

' _You're amazing.'_

He tapped 'send' before he could stop himself and immediately panicked. _Crap,_ was that too forward? Would he scare them away? He was about to type a paragraph of excuses and explanations when the stranger's reply came.

' _Thanks!'_

Hmm... That ego though...

 _'My mentor's a great inspiration; but to be complemented by_ _ **the**_ _Phoenix Wright? I'm flattered. You're amazing yourself, sir, and I mean more than just your reputation.'_

' _What do you mean?'_

' _I admire everything about you.'_

And Phoenix blushed harder than he had all day.

' _Can we meet?'_ He typed hastily, wholly smitten, his heart racing a marathon in his chest. He didn't know what possessed him to make such an impromptu arrangement, especially after his three failed dates, but this one was special. He didn't know if it was pure coincidence or chance, but this stranger appeared all of a sudden like a flash of light in a sea of darkness, and everything felt so right.

' _Now?'_

' _Please.'_

For a whole minute, he received no reply. The anticipation was killing him and if he didn't know the meaning of torture before, then he sure as hell did now. Again, he wondered if he had accidentally scared them away. When another minute passed in silence, Phoenix felt his heart sink. The one person he finally felt a connection with, and he blew it.

Just then, his phone beeped from an incoming text message and he reluctantly opened it. Seeing as it was almost 7 pm, it was probably Trucy wondering where he was and if he was coming home for dinner. But he was wrong. The number was unregistered and one that he didn't recognize.

' _Sorry. Took me a while to get your number. It's easier to talk this way than through that app, yeah?'_

Phoenix's eyes widened and he felt his heart race again. _It's them._

He frantically typed his reply, _'How the heck did you get my number?!'_

He didn't know which was creepier: this stranger's (possibly illegal) resources or the fact that he didn't mind at all. What could he say? It was mysterious and mysterious was sexy.

' _You're a defense lawyer, Mr. Wright. I'll leave the investigating to you.'_

Was that a challenge, or an artfully-concealed flirtation?

' _Anyway, if you're serious about meeting me, I'm at 'Kitaki Kitchen'.'_

' _You mean that joint run by ex-gangsters?'_

' _That's the one.'_

Now, he was starting to feel worried.

' _Wait!'_

' _Yes?'_

He hesitated for a bit.

' _Who are you?'_

There was a pause, and just when Phoenix thought they weren't going to grace him with an answer, they finally did.

' _If I told you, you'd stop thinking about me.'_

Anything he texted after that cryptic response was met with silence; they even ignored every one of his calls. Too impatient to wait for a cab and much too excited to meet his mysterious date, Phoenix ran all the way to 'Kitaki Kitchen' with nothing but his heart on his sleeve and wings on his feet.

* * *

The snazzy bistro was empty save a lone patron in their mid-twenties seated by the window. Soft jazz music weaved through the air, complementing the fine aroma of coffee that draped over the place like a soothing blanket. The ambiance was dim and romantic; blue-and-white light and cotton snow from last Christmas' decorations lined the counter and window panes. The place was stylish, tastefully done and homely with its minimal decor.

A pair of formal, white gloved hands raised a cup of coffee to their owner's lips. The man took a small sip before lowering it back onto the table; a finger absently tapping the side of his cup to the beat of the music. The young gentleman pulled back his sleeve to check his watch: 8.15 pm. His date was 45 minutes late.

"Yo! O.G! More jav'?"

"No thanks, I'm fine."

The young waiter with outrageously styled two-tone hair withdrew the coffee pot with a shrug. "Suit yerself." His eyes darted to the entrance. "Date still MIA?"

"Not for long," the man replied with a chuckle, glancing at his phone screen. "He's running over as we speak."

"In the cold?! Damn, O.G! Yer man's total cray – fer ya, that is." He nudged him and the gentleman choked on his drink.

"H-He's not 'my man'!" said the guy, a little too loudly only to lower his volume, hiding his embarrassment behind his cup of coffee. "... Not yet at least."

The waiter snickered, "That's why you're here, ain't ya? Gonna tie the knot! Don't go makin' mistakes like I did with my fallen angel, ya hear? Or me'n my boys gonna come knock, knock, knock some sense into ya."

"Stop talking nonsense – who said anything about getting married?" He grumbled, willing away his embarrassment even though a small part of him couldn't help but entertain that thought. Unfortunately, that only caused him to blush. "And don't worry; he may be a handful at times, but he's nothing like that."

"Huh, good luck then, O.G. I'm rootin' fer ya!" He tipped his cap with a cheeky grin. "Oh and some advice for ya – be cool. Chicks dig that sorta thing."

"Um… Thanks? But, he's a guy –"

"Whatever, same thing," he muttered with a nonchalant wave of his hand. "Anyways, I'm headed out back fer a quick puff. Holler when ya need me, k?"

The waiter turned and headed towards the kitchen.

"Hey, Wocky!"

Said man paused and the young gentleman flashed him a grateful smile.

"I know you're supposed to be closed today, so thanks for the last minute favor. I really appreciate it."

"Heh. No sweat, G. I gotcha covered." And with a parting wink, he disappeared into the kitchen.

Seconds ticked by; a whole three minutes passed; and just as the stranger was about to raise the cup to his lips again, the door to the bistro slammed open with such force, it struck the wall and broke the innocent little entrance bell in two. Phoenix stumbled in and nearly tripped over his own feet in his haste. Just around the corner was the main area, so he quickly used the opportunity to straighten up his clothes and neaten his hair in the walkway. _Fudge_ , he knew he should've taken a cab – that annoying, stray strand of hair was back to torment him. His date meanwhile, was barely five steps away and he already felt nervous enough to turn around and hightail out of the place. He didn't know why, nor did he know what to expect, but he _really_ didn't want to make himself look like a complete turd in front of this stranger in particular.

As the stranger predicted, throughout his whole run here, Phoenix couldn't stop thinking about them. After all, it wasn't everyday you fell in love by exchanging puns. Out of all things, he never thought he'd end up falling for the funny type.

 _Deep breaths, Phoenix. You can do this._

He turned out of the walkway and the sight immediately took his breath away.

There, by the window and the bistro's only occupant, sat a lone gentleman – dark, aloof and incredibly mysterious, casually sipping his coffee as he stared out at nothing in particular. As if sensing he was being watched, the brunette placed his drink down and turned his gaze to meet Phoenix's, his own eyes obscured by a pair of slim and stylish shades. It seemed Phoenix wasn't the only one lost for words: the gentleman's mouth hung open in the slightest show of surprise and even though he couldn't see his eyes, Phoenix knew the guy was staring at him just as unabashedly transfixed as he was. As corny as it sounded, it was like a scene in typical romance drama: love at first sight; and as if in a trance, the man slowly rose to his feet, never once taking his admiring gaze off Phoenix and that was when the latter was able to get a good look at his attire.

The brunette stood just half a head shorter than him; lean and broad shouldered; and from what he could already see, had jaw-droppingly handsome features. Michael Angelo couldn't have chiseled a better specimen – the man was gorgeous, suave, dignified; and would have easily put Klavier Gavin to shame. The young man looked sharp in his well-tailored dark grey suit complete with a white-and-navy striped tie; his attorney badge was pinned at his lapel; and formal white gloves adorned his hands. His hair was neatly gelled back save his ends which were spiked stylishly, and his bangs were set purposefully over his forehead between his eyes, making him look cool, smart and incredibly dapper. Phoenix was currently having an inner battle against himself: he couldn't decide if he wanted his date to remove his shades so he could see his eyes, or keep them on because he looked _sexy as hell_ like he had just walked right out of a wet dream.

 _Damn, he's hot._

The man's mouth was moving, but Phoenix wasn't really paying attention. All he knew was that for _this man_ , he'd gladly be Trucy's mommy anytime. Fuck being straight; he'd bend over backwards right now. His inner self was practically squealing with pink sparkly hearts and roses popping up all around him.

"...to meet you, sir. Are you-"

"Yes, I'm single," he blurted out with a dreamy look on his face. Why was the guy laughing? Never mind; it sounded sexy just like his voice and like butter, Phoenix felt himself melt.

"I take it I've made quite an impression on you," said the young gentleman with a smirk, "I'm glad; and honored, Mr. Wright."

He stepped out and to Phoenix's surprise, pulled up a chair. "Please, sit."

 _Holy crap, did he just pull up my chair?_

Phoenix, upon flashing him a shy yet grateful smile, sat down and blushed as soon as his date helped push the chair back in before rounding the table and returning to his own seat. Good manners, attentive _and_ handsome. He felt his heart race and stomach do nervous flips. Hopefully the brunette wouldn't take his silence as indication for disinterest.

"Y-You can call me Ph-Phoenix... o-or N-Nick."

Goddammit, he was stammering so bad, you would think they were at the Borscht Bowl Club or something. A second later and he wondered if that little introduction made him sound too easy and painfully desperate.

"I quite prefer 'Mr. Wright', actually," came the curt reply. "This _is_ our first meeting after all; and you're my senior. It's only proper."

"R-Right."

'So much for not embarrassing myself...'

Oblivious to the senior attorney's turmoil, the stranger continued to stir his coffee, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. "So, you wanted to meet me?"

"Uh… Y-yeah…" came the nervous reply.

"Might I ask why?"

Phoenix swallowed and avoided his stare. He couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious and disappointed: was he the only one who saw their meeting as a date? If so, had he stupidly rushed into things? This stranger had only wanted to talk after all and he suddenly felt bad for his impulsive actions.

"I… I wanted to meet you. See who you were with my own two eyes." _Hear your voice with my own two ears._

"Is that all?" said the young man with a hint of disapproval and Phoenix immediately felt like their ages just got swapped and he was the naughty child being berated by a parent.

"I'm sorry," he answered guiltily with his head bowed, "if I troubled you. That is, if you rushed from work or something important, I'm really sorry."

"Well, that's too bad," interrupted the stranger. However, the frown on his face disappeared and he leaned forward, flashing Phoenix a 100-watt grin. "Because I was hoping it was an invitation."

His heart skipped a beat. "For?"

"For a date."

Phoenix turned so red, he had to grab a napkin to shield his face. The man laughed again and he swore if he turned any redder, he'd pass out from the amount of blood rushing to his head; but at least he'd go happy.

"Or were you hoping I was a girl?" continued the stranger, his voice gentle and Phoenix sensed a little sadness in it. He wondered why.

"You're a single-parent, aren't you? After that whole Gramayre case."

Phoenix stared at him in shock. "You know about Trucy?"

"Mr. Wright, _everyone_ knows about that incident. Well – every attorney of law that is," said the man with a wry smirk, showing Phoenix his phone screen. "Even your profile's specially tailored for a life partner. Not to be rude, but it comes across as rather unprofessional and desperate."

Phoenix let out an unglamorous snort of contempt.

" _Phfft! Desperate?_ Tell _that_ to my previous dates – I've been shaking them off all day and one's still combing the streets for my head!" He paused with a sigh, "But I shouldn't be complaining; after all, my daughter deserves the mother of her dreams and I want her to be happy."

"You only did this for Trucy?"

"Yeah."

Suddenly, his date placed a hand over his and Phoenix felt his warmth through his glove. The man gave it a comforting squeeze and Phoenix automatically laced their fingers together. It was strange: he didn't know why or what made him do something so innocently intimate with a man he'd just met, but the brunette's presence was reassuring – kind, approachable and familiar like home – and he welcomed it with an open heart. He kept staring at their linked fingers with an inexplicable longing.

"But are _you_ happy?" asked his date.

It was a straight-forward question, but one that left Phoenix silent for a whole minute. However, after it seemed he had finally processed the events of today, he started to shake and the brunette held onto his hand tighter.

"No… I'm not," he realised, only to wonder why on earth he was confiding in a complete stranger. "I'm not," he repeated; but when the stranger made a move to pull his hand away, Phoenix quickly held on and tugged it back towards him. "But… I am now."

The implication was obvious. He averted his eyes shyly, the natural blush on his cheeks pinker and sweeter than his makeup and the young gentleman felt himself fall hard and fast.

"Can I kiss you, sir?" He heard his date ask, husky and sensual and Phoenix closed his eyes, mumbling a soft and embarrassed "Un" in consent like a teenage girl on her first date. He felt the stranger lean closer towards him and he shuddered from the excitement. The man's lips were but an inch from his; he felt hot breath tease his bottom lip, a silent promise for more to come, and was suddenly hungry for his first kiss in 14 years.

"Who are you?" he heard himself whisper before he could stop himself.

The man chuckled at his innocence. "You still don't get it, do you?"

Phoenix's eyes flew open when he felt his date pull away and was just about to demand an explanation (and his kiss) when the handsome brunette removed his shades. It took a while for Phoenix's confused brain to connect the dots, but when it finally did, when a pair of adoring brown eyes met his, he screamed and jumped out of his seat. _No way!_ He looked so different; acted so different… Sure, that ego was there, but… It _couldn't_ be him!

" _A-APOLLO?! You're_ my date?!"

When he realised the implication of that however, his hands flew to his face to hide his mortification. Strange little noises emitted from his throat. He was hot for his protégé. Oh the cruel irony. He blamed the suit and amazing hair.

"Is there a problem, sir?"

Phoenix peeked at him between his fingers and Apollo grabbed his hands to pull them away from his face. He held onto them, laced their fingers together like how Phoenix had done so but a moment ago, and watched as his mentor turned pink from the affectionate gesture. Phoenix didn't push him away or shriek in disgust and he considered it a good thing.

Meanwhile, Phoenix's mind was in complete disarray. _No wonder_ he felt so comfortable with this guy – that explained the puns and cold jokes; but since when did Apollo like him _that way_? He had always thought the kid to be purely asexual (his lack of romantic interest towards anyone spoke for itself) or at the very least, straight. Then again, Apollo acted so differently outside work, Phoenix began to doubt his knowledge of his own protégé. Who knew the kid could be quite the charmer? After everything that happened today, he realised he _wanted_ Apollo's eyes on him always. If he'd known this side to his apprentice and if Apollo turned out to like someone else, he conceded he'd actually be pretty jealous.

"A-Are you trying to hit on me?" he stuttered and inwardly groaned because that sounded a lot more authoritative in his head.

"And it took you _this long_ to get it?"

"W-What? How am I supposed to know how it works? I haven't dated in 14 years!" Phoenix snapped. "Well – ok, Dahlia didn't exactly count as a girlfriend and I pretty much didn't have to do anything to woo her or whatever. And we never exactly went out together apart from school. And I was always falling sick. And she always went out with other guys. Actually, come to to think of it, I never had a proper date. You'd be the first, which isn't the _worst_ I –"

Phoenix stopped talking when Apollo placed a finger on his lips. The latter sighed and shook his head.

"Mr. Wright, you're killing the moment."

"Sorry."

Despite his irritation, Apollo's eyes were laughing. He removed his finger from Phoenix's lips and his arms found their way around his waist. Apollo's voice dipped with desire and that, along with his suave aura and devilishly good looks, made Phoenix's knees week. Where had that hot-blooded, slightly dorky and easily embarrassed kid gone? And who was this cool and mysterious gentleman in his place? He was suddenly overcome with the realization that Apollo was growing up, perhaps a lot faster than he did when he was the kid's age, though that wasn't a bad thing –

A hand dipped down to playfully cope a feel of his ass and he blushed.

 _Definitely not a bad thing._

"Now then, where were we?"

Apollo started to lean in for his kiss and panicking, Phoenix placed his hands on the brunette's shoulders and pushed him away.

"W-Wait!"

"What now?" the younger one grumbled.

"Let… Let me do it."

Phoenix forced down his blush and throwing all inhibitions to the wind, grabbed his date's shoulders once more and with a determined glint in his eyes, pulled him in for a kiss, his lips claiming Apollo's shyly in his inexperience. He was so nervous he actually shook a bit. He'd never kissed a man before – in fact, he'd never kissed _anyone_ except that one accidental peck he'd given Dahlia – and it felt… warm and pleasurable, with little sparks upon contact. He realised he _liked_ kissing Apollo and thought he could get used to it, maybe even addicted.

And then, just when he started using his tongue, he felt something wet and warm drip onto his face.

"EH? Apollo, your nose is bleeding! _Apollo!_ "

* * *

Apollo held open the building's entrance door and Phoenix placed a grateful peck on his lips before stepping through. They ascended the stairs and continued down the hallway, shoulders bumping lightly and affectionately every now and then as they walked. It was Phoenix who broke the comfortable silence as he shot a tentative glance at his handsome young date beside him.

"Um... Apollo?"

"Yeah?" mumbled said man, nostrils stuffed with tissue paper.

He lowered his gaze, overcome by a sudden shyness. "You look amazing tonight, and your hair looks really good too. You should style it like this more."

"Really?" Apollo removed the tissue and shot his boss a wide grin. "I'll keep that in mind, sir!"

"B-But only for me!" Phoenix cut in, blushing himself as he fumbled over his words.

Apollo laughed and squeezed his hand tighter. Was that a hint of possessiveness he heard? Phoenix looked away with a pout and Apollo's gaze turned tender. _Mr. Wright really is cute._ He realised he could get used to his new boyfriend's jealousy if it was about him, like it even.

"Alright, only for you, sir."

They stood silently outside the 'Wright Anything Agency', Apollo taking a step back so Phoenix could insert the key into the lock and push the door open. It was late, specifically half-past 11, and after a wonderful dinner and movie date (minus the fact they nearly got thrown out of the cinema because Apollo was _louder_ than the movie), they wanted nothing more than to simply crash for the night.

"Mm… Daddy?" Trucy emerged from her bedroom in her pajamas, rubbing her eyes sleepily. Then, as if remembering the events of this morning, quickly perked up. "You're back late – did you have fun? Did you bring me a mommy?"

"Sorry, sweetie. Maybe next time," said Phoenix with a kind smile, patting her on the head. "I did bring home Apollo though. He's staying tonight."

"Oh, ok."

Well, that was disappointing, but nothing new. Apollo often pulled all-nighters on cases and ended up crashing on the couch, but she couldn't shake off this nagging feeling that tonight was different somehow. New hair and new suit aside, Apollo seemed… different. Like he radiated this cool and confident aura that she'd never seen before. Also, he didn't settle on the couch like he always did and instead, followed her daddy into his room, her daddy himself tugging him in albeit _too_ eagerly.

"Haha! Why so shy, A-Pol-Lo?" said Phoenix with a teasing leer.

"M-Mr. Wright, hold on–"

"Nope!"

With a final tug, Apollo sailed into the bedroom with a laughing Phoenix in tow. The door swung close, but the lock failed to catch, leaving a slim gap between door and wall. Curious, Trucy gave it a few minutes before sneaking after them and peered through the crack just in time to see Apollo kiss her daddy as they sank onto the mattress, the brunette's hands roaming all over as he crawled on top of Phoenix.

Her eyes widened and a hand flew to her mouth. So that explained why Polly was so jealous before – he liked her daddy! But didn't her daddy go on all those dates today? Wasn't he supposed to give her the mommy she always wanted? She didn't understand and it hurt.

 _Daddy..._

She saw Apollo whisper something into her daddy's ear and heard him giggle as he turned over to nuzzle Apollo's cheek affectionately. The laughter in his eyes and the warm smile on his face – she realised she'd never seen her daddy so in love before. He seemed younger, radiant, happier than he'd ever been; and the way Apollo looked at him too with that smoldering gaze… He was looking at her daddy like how every girl wanted to be looked at. Like he was the one. Like he was his world. And slowly, she began to understand.

Through the crack in the door, Trucy watched her daddy kiss Apollo again, the younger one deepening the kiss as he grabbed the blanket to pull it over their heads, and blushed from the sounds they were making. _Oops! Better give them some privacy._ She backed away, closed the door silently and returned to her room with a smile on her face and a skip in her step.

Well, when it came down to it, as far as she was concerned, her daddy chose well. Sure, Apollo wasn't prince charming and he could use some work keeping his volume down indoors, but he was reliable, brave, devoted, dependable and had a lot of heart. He was the only one who could keep her daddy in check and she trusted him. Besides, for all the hardship he had been through and sacrifices he made for her over the years, her daddy deserved the best and for his happiness, she supposed she didn't mind having _two_ daddies.

'Now where did Athena put that wedding contact... _Aha!'_

After rummaging through the darkness of her bedroom, she flipped open her laptop, typed in the link from the memo, and scrolled through the website. Hmm... she wondered how her daddy would look like in a wedding dress.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

Oh no! Trucy is at it again haha! But that's a story for another time ;)

Yes, I went fluffy again with a smidgen of humor because this is Ace Attorney after all. And for those who've been waiting for it, yes, I finally threw in Edgeworth to give you a little MitsuNaru treat. Besides, their rivalry was too good to pass up in this context lol. Franziska also made a little guest appearance because I thought Phoenix/Franziska is quite cute too.

For Apollo's look, I was largely inspired by SK's concept of "Prosecutor Justice": http**:**/**i**.**imgur**.**com**/**gRBA2hR**.**gif (isn't he dreamy? *sigh*) Just remove the asterix!

I think Apollo can be cool for his boss if he wanted to... or at least if he tried really, really hard lol. Pressure definitely helps too. I would think anyone would up their game if they think they were going to lose their hero/idol/long-time crush to somebody else. Though I made sure he reverted to his fumbling ways because that's the Apollo we all know and love.


	8. Abstinence

**Warning:**

This chapter contains graphic sexual content, use of toys, public sex, humiliation as well as an embarrassment kink.

 **Review response:**

 _Jen188 -_ Thank you for your sweet review! I hope you're enjoying the ride so far and if you've made it until this chapter, then yay for you :D

* * *

 **20 Kisses: Hero Worship**

 **by Dark Interval**

 **Eighth Kiss: Abstinence**

* * *

The first thing Phoenix noticed upon stepping behind the defense table, was that it had new barriers at its sides that went up to his waist. Honestly, he didn't know what function they served (maybe to prevent angry witnesses or members of the gallery to hound the defense during trial), but it was more obtrusive than efficient. If their country was pumping funds into stuff like this instead of improving the law, he needed to have a serious talk with Edgeworth over tea one of these days.

"Court is now in session for the accused, Todd Jacob Sweets. Is the defense ready?"

Just your average day in the life of Phoenix Wright – ace attorney, bluffing extraordinaire (though he got it right at most times), and turnabout king of court. He arranged his evidence neatly on the table. A troubling case with his client at the disadvantage again, but nothing he hadn't conquered before. Whatever Prosecutor Blackquill intended to throw at him, he was ready. Except if the twisted samurai wanted to personally cut him down – _that_ was a different matter altogether. Oh great, he was starting to get the willies. He hoped Blackquill didn't notice...

He glanced up and said prosecutor shot him a nasty smirk.

… Apparently, he did.

"R-Ready, your honor!"

And as per usual, without the slightest persuasive effort, Blackquill got the Judge to present the opening statement: a 10-year-old boy accused of murdering his parents. The victims were found gutted in their bedroom, with the defendant standing over them drenched in their blood. The balcony and bedroom doors were shut and upon questioning the poor child, he confessed that there had been nobody else in the room save him and his parents at the time of the murder. Not exactly the prettiest case on hand, both figuratively and literally. The only other occupant of the mansion was the nanny, but her alibi checked out. She was called to testify since the boy had phoned her over and she had in turn reported the deaths to the police.

The first witness called to the stand was of course Detective Fulbright and after painstakingly extracting all the facts from him and poking at certain loopholes, they managed to establish that the murder weapon found at the crime scene was in fact, fake and the real one was still missing.

"If you look at the autopsy report, the victims were first struck on the head with a blunt object before being gutted. The defendant is too short to reach such a height." Phoenix slammed his hands on the table and pointed at Blackquill. "He didn't do it! Someone else must've been in the room and they could've taken the real murder weapon with them!"

"Wright-dono, allow me to cut down your trivial reasoning with my logic," answered Blackquill with a smug shake of his head. "The boy could have easily stood on an elevated platform like the bed or a chair. Also, he has answered time and time again that he was the only other person in the room. Why would he lie on the charges of his parents' murder, unless it's true?"

Crap, not bad. But he was determined to press on with his own line of reasoning.

"Objection! If he did that, it would've raised suspicion and a struggle would've occurred. But there were no signs of struggle on either the defendant or victims' bodies. It had to be someone both parties knew and trusted!"

"Silence! If you insist on a fourth person involved in this family affair, then I expect to see some evidence," said Blackquill, his eyes glinting dangerously as he shifted into an offensive stance, "or Taka and I will personally turn _you_ into this fourth person to join the bloodbath."

Phoenix gulped and frantically combed through his evidence. Weren't death threats in court illegal? Then why the hell wasn't the Judge doing anything to help him?

"Wait a minute, so Mr. Wright's this fourth person and the real murderer?" said the Judge bewilderedly.

Phoenix didn't know whether to laugh or cry. _Not helping, Judge._

"As a matter of fact, I _do_ have this evidence you want so badly, Prosecutor Blackquill." He produced a long, wavy brown wig with one of its locks stained with blood. "It seems our mysterious fourth person left an unintended calling card."

The Judge's eyes lit up, but it was apparent he was still as lost as ever.

"Oh my! Mr. Wright, I had no idea you were into this sort of thing, but I'd appreciate it if you keep your strange hobbies outside this court."

"It's not mine!" Phoenix scrambled to defend himself. Why were people always picking on him? "It's a wig left behind by our culprit and inside it, I found a single strand of black hair – hair that doesn't match either the defendant or the two victims."

Blackquill nearly collapsed across the table, grasping his chest like he was in pain – pain from Fulbright's incompetency no doubt. Phoenix felt a little bad for the detective, but not bad enough to relent.

"Are you suggesting that strand of hair belongs to your fourth person?" said Blackquill as he fought to get his breathing under control.

"As a matter of fact, I am," replied Phoenix with a confident smirk, chest puffed out proudly. "I even ran a DNA analysis and here's the results – _Eeek!"_

Taka flew in to snatch the documents from his hand and he ducked under the table, cowering in fear. _Holy shit,_ that hawk nearly clawed his fingers off! And why were animals allowed in the courtroom again? Especially vicious, unpredictable ones from an equally vicious and unpredictable owner. Their legal system _really_ needed some serious look into.

As Blackquill silently and carefully read through the data, a dawning horror etched across his face; Phoenix had to resist whooping in joy and instead settled for a mini-victory dance in his head. _Yes!_ He knew that piece of evidence was his trump card – thank you, police oversight. Now that he managed to turn things around and get the court to see things in his favor, it was time to put a close to this gory affair once and for all.

"The results point to the Prosecution's main witness, Ms. Veronica Bitters – nanny, aunt and younger sister to the victim, Mrs. Regene Sweets," he paused to shoot the now nervous woman a knowing smirk. "She also runs an interesting business, if I might add – one that's closely tied to this case."

"Silence!" Blackquill slammed his fists onto the table. _How_ was Wright winning? This was supposed to be a clear-cut case!

"If you wish to implicate my witness, Wright-dono, then convince me: how does this so-called business link with our murderer's motive?"

"Yes, let's hear it," chimed the Judge, who was now actually following the current state of events. "Tell us what Ms. Bitters does apart from her duties as full-time nanny."

"Simple, she –"

But Phoenix suddenly gasped and doubled over, clinging onto the edge of the table as a series of vibrations rocked through his body.

 _W-What's happening..._?

Nervously, he looked over his shoulder at his quivering behind, at his hips that seemed to rotate on their own from a strange sensation he had no control over. Phoenix bit his lip. _N-No…! Not now… Anything but this…_ He fought down his mounting panic and squirmed from the foreign stimulation. The vibrations were coming from inside his ass and they seemed to go on indefinitely, making his knees go weak and his vision swim.

 _Nrgh… feels so weird... inside…_

However, it didn't take long for his body to warm up to it and when he did, it started to feel _really_ good. In fact, it was so good, he started to grind his crotch against the table to get more stimulation. It was getting difficult to breathe and he began panting; his suit suddenly felt stuffy and his tie knotted a little too tight. When the vibrations increased, he forced down a moan and mentally prayed no one heard those steady mechanical buzzes emitting from his person. They seemed so loud and obvious to him, but it was probably due to the paranoia of getting caught. _What the hell_ – Apollo told him it was only a harmless butt-plug! This was so embarrassing... What did he do to deserve this?

 _M-Make it stop… feels so good… can't take it…!_

Meanwhile, the Judge and Blackquill were giving him funny looks. Even the young defendant was frowning at him as if he was thinking, "Is this a joke? Are _you_ a joke?" Whispers transpired throughout the gallery; was the famed defense attorney finally cracking under the pressure of his own bluffing tactics?

"Mr. Wright, are you alright? You're looking rather red in the face."

"I-I… I'm… haa… _good..._ "

The vibrations suddenly stopped and Phoenix struggled upright, combing his hair back with his fingers in a bid to salvage what remained of his dignity. After taking some time to gather his thoughts and get his breathing under control, he tried again.

"I'm fine, your honor. S-Sorry about that. Anyway, as I was saying, she – _Uwah!_ "

The vibrations started again, but Phoenix fought to maintain his composure, trembling like a leaf as he struggled to deliver his statement. This was cruel. _He_ was cruel. Then again, Phoenix only had himself to blame. He had been too confident over last night's poker game and had completely forgotten about his opponent's special ability. Long story short, there was a bet, Apollo was a pervert and he was now paying the price for his defeat in the most humiliating way possible.

"She's a… haa… wig m-maker – the vibrations increased – _N-Noooo!_ V-Very g-good at… haa… what she does…"

"She?" clarified the Judge. "You mean the witness?"

" _Yessssss…"_

Oh gods, he couldn't do this. Wet. Everywhere felt wet and hot. His cock was dripping precum and it soaked the material of his pants. How the hell was he going to walk out of here without garnering a ton of curious stares? He already had problems focusing, and that slim rod-shaped vibrator Apollo shoved up his ass this morning was making his brain numb _._ Furthermore, the kid had the remote and complete control over the level of vibrations administered. He was vulnerable to his protégé's commands and the mere thought of that drew forth a low moan from his parted lips. Phoenix's face burned from shame. If this kept up, he wouldn't be able to control himself from humping the table.

' _Do you want me to stop?'_

He heard the crackling of static and a familiar, smug voice in his ear. So _that_ explained why Apollo wanted him to wear this earpiece to court today. That little demon!

"P-Please…" he whispered.

' _Come again?'_

" _Please…_ " he repeated, this time begging. "I-I'm going… crazy! Please… _st-stooop…_ "

' _Sorry, I can't hear you. And if I can't hear you, Mr. Wright, I'm leaving it on.'_

Fingers dug into the table so hard, he left little dents in the wood from his nails. Phoenix squirmed uncontrollably on the tabletop, his breaths coming out in quick pants, loud and suffering like a runner in the midst of a marathon; his ass shook from the stimulation as did his legs, which fought to keep him standing. His reports and evidence were knocked all over the place; the intensity of the vibrations went up and remained persistent; and he had to bite back a scream of pleasure whenever his hardness bumped against the table's edge. Hot tears pricked at the corners of his eyes. It felt so good, but he couldn't make a sound. Apollo promised to stop, but only if he yelled it. Either way, he was fucked.

 _No… too much… Make it stop… Make it stop!_

He was suddenly grateful for the obnoxiously obtrusive side barriers. They were the only things preventing members of the gallery and his client from witnessing what was happening to him waist-down.

"Wright-dono, if you continue with this needless stalling, I'm going over to strike you down myself!"

"No!" Phoenix squeaked, so terrified that he actually shocked the usually stoic prosecutor to silence.

 _If he comes, he'll see everything… Embarrassing…_ He didn't know what turned him on more: the relentless stimulation, or the fact that over five dozen eyes were watching him succumb to his own humiliation. Blackquill was watching him like a hawk and that penetrating stare was making him feel more hot and bothered than he would readily admit.

In between his panting, he continued to whisper quiet and desperate pleas for Apollo to turn the damn vibrator off, but his lover remained cruel and Phoenix almost broke down sobbing.

"Wig-maker," he struggled to continue, "business… incurred… _ngh…_ Huge debt…"

"Mr. Wright, are you feeling alright?" the Judge blinked at him curiously. "If you're sick, you should've worn a mask."

"I'm f-fine… _Mm..._ "

He could do this. If he just stuck to his line of reasoning, he could ignore that bloody vibrator rubbing against his ass walls and return his attention to the trial at hand. His client's very life was at stake and he was not about to lose this case and have an innocent child tossed into prison, and by extension, ruin his entire future, Apollo be damned.

"As… As I was saying," he straightened up with much effort and cleared his throat, "Ms. Bitters' business incurred a huge debt recently and she desperately needed to pay back the owner of 'Tender Lender'. She needed money – lots of it, and fast."

"Interesting tidbit you got there, but unfortunately for you, one I already know of," commented Blackquill with a condescending shake of his head. "I hope you have a sharper blade in your arsenal, Wright-dono."

' _Fighting back, are we? Let's see you handle more.'_

The intensity of the vibrations shot up and his legs trembled so much, he slammed a hand onto the table to keep himself from falling.

"I-I'm not done yet, Prosecutor Blackquill," continued Phoenix with fierce determination. "If you look at Ms. Bitters and Mrs. Sweets' photographs, you'll notice one striking thing – they're twins. The only difference they share in terms of appearance is their hair color."

Blackquill paused and then as if struck by lightning, doubled over the table, hand flying to his chest to calm his rapidly beating heart. _Of course –_ he should've seen this! Damn that wig. Damn that incompetent Fool Bright. Phoenix's eyes shone with triumph.

"I see you figured out where I'm going with this. That wraps up the little mystery of the invisible fourth person, doesn't it? A mistake that both a child and any adult could make."

The Judge stared at him blankly. "Mr. Wright, could you please explain clearly to the court about your conclusion?"

Phoenix and Blackquill resisted the maddening urge to facepalm, especially Phoenix since that meant he had to repeat himself and that by extension meant more sexual suffering on his part. Seriously, they didn't doubt the audience's capacity to fill in the blanks themselves. It was always only the Judge.

"Let's… _mm!_ L-Let's recall the facts," said Phoenix as he read off the current report from the court records, clutching the paper a little too hard in a bid to suppress an oncoming orgasm.

"The victims, Mr and Mrs Sweets, were found dead in their bedroom with the defendant as the only witness and suspect at the time of the crime. Ms Bitters reportedly never stepped foot into the mansion that evening – the only woman sighted by the servants was Mrs Sweets. Yet, none of Ms Bitters' employees could fully account for the absence of their boss. On top of that, my client claimed that he saw no other person in the room at the time of the crime except his parents. How is that so?"

"Prosecutor Blackquill…?" the Judge trailed off helplessly as said man turned his back to the defense and snorted.

"I'll let Wright-dono explain, your baldness. Even a man of your... unique intelligence will be able to see the truth eventually."

Honestly, Phoenix wasn't sure if his mind and body could hold up any longer. Though he might look perfectly fine on a normal standpoint, the part of his body below the table betrayed his upstanding character. His lower half was quivering. That rod was still going at his ass at a maddening pace. His entire crotch area was soaked through and his cock screamed for his attention, to be freed and touched. Discretely, he reached down and ran a finger over his straining hardness through his pants, over a particular band wrapped around the base of his throbbing, weeping erection. It twitched from his touch and he bit his lip to keep from keening.

' _You want to cum, don't you, sir?'_

"Y-yes…" he half-moaned, half-whispered.

' _In public, in front of all these people? With the Judge and Prosecutor Blackquill watching you; Lady Justice with her scales; in a court of law; during a trial recorded for all national media to see – and you want to cum?'_

Phoenix shuddered; he felt so ashamed he couldn't speak, so he closed his eyes and nodded his head instead. Apollo was in the gallery, so he knew he was watching him.

' _Oh, Mr. Wright… Bad boys like you ought to be punished. If only the world could see how lewd you really are. Wait a sec_ …'

Apollo maxed out the intensity of the vibrations and Phoenix actually cried out.

" _Hiyaaah–!"_

' _Now they can.'_

With his cool composure completely shattered, Phoenix collapsed onto the table, gasping, trembling, breathing through clenched teeth. A hand flew to his mouth, but even that wasn't enough to muffle the drawn-out moans and high-pitched squeals that escaped the confines of his throat. _Oh god…_ He felt like he was going to explode. It was too good. Apollo… _Apollo was driving him crazy!_ He feared he'd lose his mind before the final verdict.

"A-Apollo… why are you doing this... to me?"

' _Careful. Prosecutor Blackquill might hear you.'_ Apollo chuckled. ' _See? He's looking this way.'_

"N-Nooo…"

The vibrations were so intense that the pleasure turned agonizing. Precum seeped through his pants and dripped onto the floor, creating a little puddle between his feet. His legs were shaking so hard, they were no longer able to support him properly and the table became his salvation. And still, thanks to that cock ring Apollo made him wear; even when he was willing to succumb to his desires and expose himself to the public eye, he couldn't cum.

"P-Please… may I take it off? Please… let me cum… I'll do an-anything… s-say anything... you want. Just let me cum…!"

' _May I take it off – who?'_

There was a smug leer to his tormentor's voice. Phoenix's face burned from the humiliation. _He can't be serious._

"Please… M-Mr. Justice… may I take it off… _please?"_

' _No, not yet.'_

"B-But you said–!"

' _I'm quite enjoying the show. Now, touch yourself.'_

Phoenix whined and reached under the table to stroke himself through his pants. He knew this was only going to make things worse, but Apollo's command was law. He _needed_ release and from experience, pleasing his protégé was the only way he could get it.

"L-Like… _ah…_ th-this… Mr. Justice?"

' _Faster.'_

"Mr. Wright, are you absolutely sure you're alright?" said the Judge with growing concern. "Do you have a fever? You look like you're in pain and you're all red. And what on earth are you mumbling about?"

' _Harder.'_

" _Mm…? Nngh!_ N-Nothing…"

None too pleased with his opponent's behavior, Blackquill's eyes flashed dangerously and with a sharp whistle, sent Taka at Phoenix. The bird charged in with its razor-sharp talons and in his shock, Phoenix crashed against the wall behind him, causing the vibrator to lodge itself deeper into his ass and strike his prostate dead-on. He screamed, shuddering violently against the wall, fighting to remain standing; to breathe; to not think about that moving rod in his ass that was making him feel _so fucking good…_

"M-Mr. Justice… _please…"_

The vibrations against his prostate was savage. He was so wet down there, more and more precum leaked through his pants and dribbled onto the floor beneath him. _Can't hold it in. Too much, too much!_ He gripped the wall for dear life, eyes shut, breaths shallow, tears lining his lashes, his moans and keening increasing in frequency and volume. His cock strained painfully against his pants, throbbing like mad from the over-stimulation. It took everything in his power to resist thrusting his hips into thin air.

 _No more… too much… Going to… Going to…!_

The cock ring tightened. His eyes flew open and he opened his mouth in a silent scream.

 _Please…! Let me cum!_

"W-Wright-dono?" Blackquill actually stuttered. Now it was his turn to feel concerned. Phoenix's behavior wasn't normal, and that lewd way he screamed earlier… Blackquill fought down a blush; he was probably thinking too much into it.

The Judge blinked dubiously in his seat. "Mr. Wright, if you're unable to proceed with this trial, I'll get the bailiff to escort you out."

"I'm… haa… haa… ok." Phoenix pushed himself off the wall with great difficulty and stumbled towards his table. No way could he hold up any longer. He knew he was going to lose his mind, so he forced himself to use it productively to prove his client innocent before there wasn't a shred of logic left.

"I would l-like to call… my client… haa… t-to the stand…"

His brain was a foggy mess. All he could think about, all he could focus on were the vibrations from the rod inside him and how much he desperately wanted to cum. His surroundings, the people present, the cameras rolling – they were all irrelevant. He felt shy before, but at this point, when he was _so close_ that it was _torturous,_ he didn't care if the public labeled him a sex maniac after everything. Let them look. If that's what Apollo wanted, if that could grant him his release, then so be it.

However, just as the child began his testimony, the vibrations stopped and Phoenix silently thanked the gods above for his lover's show of mercy. At least he could focus on the cross-examination and as it turned out, the child revealed a new fact that further strengthened his argument.

"Mrs. Sweets told him to close his eyes and turn around and no matter what he heard, he should remain in that position," Phoenix paraphrased, folding his arms with a triumphant smirk. "But what if I said that the one who gave him that instruction was not his mother, but in fact his aunt, Ms Bitters? She must've committed the deed there and then. If her looks could fool a child, she could most certainly fool her brother-in-law as well, and coupled with that wig, which is an exact replica of Mrs Sweets' hair, I don't think we should discount this possibility."

The Judge's eyes flew open. "Mr. Wright, is this true?"

"Why don't we ask Ms Bitters herself?" he replied, pointing a finger at said witness whose face contorted in rage. If looks could kill, they'd all be dead.

"These are all false allegations! Why the hell would I kill my own sister?!" she screeched when she took to the stand. "I want proof, I tell you! Absolute proof!"

"My witness has a point, Wright-dono."

"Do you have decisive evidence to prove Ms Bitters' guilt, Mr. Wright?"

'Come on, isn't it obvious?!' Phoenix mentally screamed as he continued to clutch the table's edge so hard, his knuckles turned white. Any more pressure, and the wood would surely break off. And speaking of pressure, he felt the vibrations start up again, this time gradually increasing in its intensity. He squeaked, pupils dilating, and knew that this was it: cock ring or no, he couldn't fight it anymore. Bring him over the edge and he'd cum buckets.

"F-Fine…" he pushed himself upright and sifted through his evidence, pulling out a small envelope with the Sweets family seal on its back. He could only thank his lucky stars that his client trusted him enough to lend this to him – not even the prosecution knew of its existence.

"I have with me the will of the deceased couple, Mr and Mrs Sweets…"

Ms Bitters' eyes bulged and she started screaming. "How did you get that?!"

Phoenix fought to regulate his breathing. His hands were shaking and he was so wet down there, he might as well have come straight out from a shower. Sticky. His pants were soiled. He wanted to unzip them so bad; stroke himself and play with the tip. Let them look. Let the whole court look. He was beyond caring. Just a little bit more and he'd surely hit his sweet climax.

"They entrusted this document to their son, only child, and my client, Todd Jacob Sweets. He wasn't to open it until their passing, but when I received it, the envelope was already tampered with," he continued as he ignored the raging woman. "Someone close to Todd could have easily read its contents. Someone like… Oh, his nanny, perhaps?"

As Ms Bitters continued to stir up quite a commotion in court; the members of the gallery murmuring to themselves at this latest conspiracy, the smile on Phoenix's face wasn't out of triumph, but of relief. His hand crept down to unzip his fly, freeing his dick from the confines of his trousers. He didn't care anymore. As far as he was concerned, this trial didn't exist and only the pleasure remained. Hunching over the table, his left arm supported his body while the other reached down to pump his slick, throbbing cock. His eyes rolled, mouth slack from the pleasure.

 _Yes! Yes! So good… good… More! Need more…!_

' _What are you doing, Mr. Wright?'_

Phoenix ignored his lover's voice as he attempted to remove the cock ring, only to realize the toy was also controlled by Apollo and groaned miserably. No… This wasn't happening! He was so close! Just a little more…

' _Naughty, naughty… Need I remind you who's in control here?'_

"Please, Mr. Justice, please…! Please take it off... _Take it off!_ So close… "

' _Really now? Then let me help you…'_

Apollo cranked up the vibrations to full blast and Phoenix felt the ring around his cock tighten further. He let out a gurgled scream, his upper body sprawled across the table top; legs and butt trembling; cock twitching sporadically. He felt his tears threaten to spill.

 _No more… Please, no more… Can't take it… Too much… pleasure…!_

"M-Mercy…" was all he managed and he heard his protégé chuckle in his ear.

' _Obtain a 'Not Guilty' verdict and you'll get your reward, Mr. Wright.'_

Phoenix whimpered and placed both hands on the table in order to support himself. He wanted to cum. He'd do _anything_ to cum.

"If you... r-read the will, Ms Bitters, you'd have known... you were... struck off the family inheritance by your own twin sister…"

"Sh-Shut up! Don't say anymore!"

"But y-you needed... money... so you devised a plan to kill the main family, but encountered a problem: killing all three parties would place you under h-high suspicion. That's why you left your own nephew... to be your... scapegoat."

The court was in an uproar by now and the Judge's gavel never sounded more deafening as it pounded against the podium. Meanwhile, Phoenix thought he was going to faint. Forced to think coherently and maintain composure during sexual foreplay in the eyes of the public – it was a whole new meaning of torture.

"Silence!" Blackquill slammed his palm against the table. "This is all conjecture –"

" _Objection!"_ Phoenix snarled. _No one_ was going to keep him from obtaining his reward, not even Blackquill. "And I wasn't f-finished! Even with Todd in prison, Ms. Bitters is still his legal... g-guardian... m-meaning that she'd have... control over his finances, since he's still a minor. And take control she did."

"Please, stop! I'll confess, I'll confess!"

But Phoenix was beyond caring. He could hear the buzzing in his ears, feel nothing but the vibrations; his nerves on fire and prostate singing. The floor at his feet was stained with so much precum, the sight of it shamed him so much, he could have climaxed right there and then if not for this damned cock ring. He swore he'd burn this toy before the day was through. And then drag Apollo shopping for something better.

"M-My investigation led me to 'Tender Lender', and wouldn't you like to know what I... f-found... in their list of... approved transactions?"

He heard a pleased chuckle in his ear and paused.

' _Good boy... I think it's time my hero received his reward.'_

Phoenix felt himself break completely. All he could think about was sex and the amazing effect Apollo's voice had on him. All he could feel was that wonderful buzzing in his ass that threatened to send him over the edge repeatedly, to milk him dry, and he _loved it_.

"M-More… Need more… Mr. Justice, please..."

' _More?'_

 _Yes, oh gods, yessssss… Reward… Cum… Need to cum._ He couldn't stop himself from rutting against the underside of the table.

' _My… Aren't you my little slut.'_

"Yes, _yes…_ yours! Your slut! Yours…!"

Gone was his pride and he heard Apollo chuckle in his ear, dark and alluring.

' _And so well trained too. Alright, for being such a good boy, here's a little treat.'_

And then, the vibrator shifted slightly and this time, it didn't just vibrate, but swiveled and rotated within him simultaneously. It brutally pounded his ass, struck repeatedly and pulsed against his prostate, and Phoenix bit back a squeal of pure bliss as he collapsed across his documents, precumming over and over. His eyes were glazed with lust as spasms violently rocked his body.

 _Yes! More, more…! So good! Right there!_

"P-Please…" he begged, "let me cum…"

"And what did you find, Mr. Wright?" pressed the Judge, oblivious to the once proud attorney's situation.

"I… I… haa… f-found – _Ah!_ "

A soft click and the cock ring fell away. Desperate, Phoenix immediately wrapped his fingers around his slick dick and pumped himself in sync with the rapidly moving toy. His eyes rolled in pleasure, mouth open in an 'O' as he gasped and openly moaned.

"A transaction… a transfer o-of… _mm…_ 30 million dollars from my client's… _yesssss!_ B-Bank account…"

 _Yes… So close… So close…! Cumming!_

Across the room, Blackquill was blushing. The way Wright was moving, moaning; that hand beneath the table… even if no one else seemed to notice, he was too sharp _not_ to. But for some strange reason, he couldn't bring himself to look away. His hypersensitive senses honed from his years in prison, didn't let him. In this light, from where he stood, air thick with desire and pungent with arousal, Wright looked beautiful. Every gasp, every moan, his writhing body – it was an erotic dance and Blackquill was helplessly entranced.

Their eyes met across the courtroom, knowing; but Phoenix was too far gone to worry about being caught now or how Blackquill would think of him after this. Especially when he had Apollo moaning sexily in his ear.

' _You're so close, sir.'_

 _C-Cumming… Cumming!_

"Wright-dono…"

"No! Don't say it! It's not true!"

"S-Signed… _nargh!_ Ms. Veronica… Gloria… _yes, yes!_ B-Bitters…!"

' _Cum for me, Mr. Wright.'_

That did it. With a strangled cry, he came all over the underside of the table in a flood of heat and euphoria. It was the most intense orgasm he ever experienced. His body shook from the aftershocks and he looked down, moaning at the mess he made and how his cum couldn't seem to stop flowing. He was spent, the pleasurable stimulus ceased, but it seemed his body couldn't get enough of its phantom effects.

 _C-Coming out! Again… Cumming again…!_

Phoenix came over and over in short spurts and his body's lewd reaction made him feel dirty. With a satisfied moan, Apollo flipped the switch off. The vibrator slid out of his ass from the intense contractions and fell out through one of his pants legs, landing in a growing puddle of semen next to the cock ring.

The whole court was silent, all eyes on Phoenix as they regarded him expectantly. The judge blinked slowly; Blackquill's cheeks were tinted pink; the witness was too shamefaced to face up to her crimes, and the defendant had stars in his eyes. Somehow, Phoenix Wright did it again – even in the craziest of situations, he always managed to turn things around. If only they knew how crazy things actually got today.

Phoenix collapsed over the defense table, a twitching mess and utterly exhausted. A thoroughly satisfied grin crept across his flushed face.

"T-Take that…"

* * *

Apollo twirled the remote in his fingers, whistling a happy tune as he stepped behind the defense table. That was hot. He'd always wanted to see how far he could push his boss when it came to sexual foreplay and was more than satisfied with the results. In fact, he was _very satisfied_ – his cock was still half-hard even after Phoenix's trial was over.

As expected, Phoenix's client was declared 'Not guilty' and because it involved the sole surviving heir of the multi-billion dollar Sweets Corporation, the trial received much public acclaim and attention. Absently, he wondered where his boss was, but assumed he was either held up at some press conference or recovering from his mind-blowing orgasm in the washroom. He chuckled to himself as he recalled his mentor's shameless behavior in court earlier. If he wished to watch his boss' erotic performance again, he figured he could always retrieve the trial video from the court archives. That'll teach Phoenix for underestimating him in poker.

Whatever the case, it was now his turn at the defense table. One of those rare busy days for the 'Wright Anything Agency', he supposed. A different judge was preceding this trial and with Prosecutor Blackquill handling the paperwork and recent conviction of Ms. Bitters, his opponent in court today appeared to be an elderly gentleman with shades over his eyes and a ridiculous toupee whose name he could never seem to remember.

"Court is now in session for the accused, Mr. Gold Bender, for the theft of the famous 'Dreamscape' painting by celebrity artist Louise van Harlot. The painting's owner is Madame Claire and is currently worth $140 million."

The judge's eyes passed briefly over the court.

"Are the prosecution and defense ready?"

Each representative gave an affirmative and the prosecution (after going on for almost three minutes on how he was the famed 'Rookie Killer') launched into his opening statement. Apollo's mind began to wander – gosh, this guy was long-winded – and that was when he felt movement under the table. Curious, he lowered his gaze and had to stop himself from shouting when his eyes met his boss' wide and innocent blue ones. Phoenix was kneeling beneath the table and fully hidden from view from the gallery, Apollo's pants zipper held teasingly between his lips. An evil look flashed across his eyes and Apollo panicked.

"D-Don't," he hissed in warning, but Phoenix ignored him as he happily tugged the zipper down and freed Apollo's length from the confines of his pants.

Using only his lips and tongue, Phoenix teased his protégé's cock, alternating between licks and kisses, lavishing his attention on the sensitive tip. That immediately got Apollo's Chords of Steel working. He fell forward with a shout, gripping the edge of the table like his very life depended on it. He was rock-hard in seconds.

"Mr. Justice, is everything alright?" The judge interrupted with a frown and Apollo crimsoned.

"Y-Yes, your honor! I just… Uh… have a sudden cramp...?"

"I'd appreciate it if you keep your cramps to yourself then. This is a court of law and we're in the middle of a serious trial."

"Yes, your honor. Sorry, your honor."

Apollo glared down at his unwanted distraction. Phoenix's eyes were wide and innocent, but that mouth of his certainly wasn't.

"B-Bastard," he choked, only to lose all authority and break off into a soft moan when he felt Phoenix kiss the tip of his cock in worship. _Touché._ If this was his boss' idea of revenge, then it really wasn't half bad.

Phoenix ran his tongue along the underside of Apollo's thick length, teased his balls with a few experimental licks and sucks, before engulfing the entire head with his lips. He sucked on him fervently, making erotic slurping noises – just the way Apollo liked it – and never once took his eyes off his protégé's reddening face. Apollo would have smacked him if he didn't feel so damn good. Instead, he reached down and grabbed Phoenix by his head, tugging his hair back to get a good look at those sexy, half-lidded blue eyes and soft, pink cheeks stuffed with cock. _Fuck._ He always knew his boss was one hell of a cock-sucker. It'd be a miracle if he lasted until the end of the trial.

"Mr. Wright, stop… _I can't_ …!"

"Does the defense object to the prosecution's claims?"

 _Huh? Claims? What claims?_

"I… uh… um…"

Phoenix dipped his tongue into the tip past the foreskin and Apollo almost blacked out from the stress.

 _Goddammit, Mr. Wright!_

"Hah! The defense is probably too scared to continue in my presence. I've been said to have this effect on rookies," said Prosecutor Payne with an arrogant scoff and flip of his toupee.

"But since I'm in a good mood today, I'll repeat myself: The defendant, as head butler, was the only person apart from Madame Claire with the master key. As we all know, the room the prized painting was displayed in can only be accessed by that very key. Ergo, the defendant stole the painting!"

Apollo quickly looked down to shoot his idol the scariest death glare he could muster, but Phoenix, with his mouth full of cock, simply winked at him and took all of Apollo in one go. Instinctively, Apollo slammed his fists onto the table. The more Phoenix sucked him off, the harder it was to remain standing. Good lord, his boss was _way too good_ at this; and before he knew it, he gave in and began a slow rhythm as he thrust into his mentor's hot, wet mouth.

" _Yesssss…_ Take it all in… Just like that..."

Phoenix moaned and Apollo felt the vibrations around his member, adding to the pleasure and making him temporarily see stars.

"Mr. Justice? Your argument," pressed the judge.

 _Argument. Right... Huh?_

All eyes were on him. Phoenix chuckled, gave Apollo's cock a particularly hard suck before deep-throating him and Apollo jolted, banging his knee on the underside of the table. _Shit!_ With his mentor's lips around his dick and surrounded by all those expectant stares, his mind desperately grasped at the most relevant thing it could come up with at a time like this.

"OB-OBJECTION!"

* * *

 **Author's note:**

I love it when our couple gets a happy ending, don't you? ;)

Anyway, I tried to make it as realistic as possible in terms of actually constructing a real case to frame the sex. Maybe I just needed an excuse to write some Apollo/Phoenix smut, but hey - at least we have (some) plot!


	9. Ownership

**Author's note:**

My sincerest apologies for the epic wait, but I wasn't feeling very inspired for kisses. However, I feel very fortunate to have such wonderful readers, and this chapter goes to _FourCursedOnixes_ and his/her request for some kinky ownership ;) While I'm at it, I'd like to thank you for the review, my dear. I'm glad you're enjoying my little contribution to the Apollo/Phoenix community.

 **Prompt:** Ownership, you know, like if Phoenix has to be (Or pretend to be) Apollo's pet for x reason, or Polly having to claim ownership of him for x reason (Jealousy? A bunch of people hovering over Phoenix's ass-Ah! I mean- over him, maybe?) - _FourCursedOnixes_

* * *

 **20 Kisses: Hero Worship**

 **By Dark Interval**

 **Ninth kiss: Ownership**

* * *

The first time Phoenix gave into peer pressure, took Miles up on his invitation one Friday night to join the prosecutors for some drinks, and passed out in the middle of the bar and grill after consuming less than half a pint of beer, was the first time he realised his ridiculously low tolerance for alcohol. Actually, he only found out about that _after_ he woke up the next day on Apollo's bed, because his protégé had cabbed all the way down and brought him home when Godot called to laugh at his inadequacy.

"Looks like the kitten had too much to drink," the man had said over the phone. "If you don't hurry, there are a bunch of wolves here just dying for a taste." And a terrified Apollo had immediately paid the cab driver extra to run all the red lights.

That same night was also the first time Phoenix slept on his boyfriend's bed. Usually, his protégé tended to pull all-nighters at the office, so they ended up crashing on his bed by circumstance. But this time, things were different and he slept better than ever before; and while Apollo was inclined to believe that it was mostly due to the alcohol, Phoenix felt it was more to do with being surrounded by his partner's warmth and comforting scent. He had grown used to it filling up every nook and crevice of his office since two years ago when the kid started working for the then _Wright Talent Agency._ But Apollo wasn't a boy anymore, had filled into his suit _very nicely_ , and if Phoenix had to be completely honest with himself, the brunette's scent affected him a lot more than he'd care to admit. After all, if that wasn't a smug grin on Apollo's face when he came back to his lover shamelessly jerking off with nose pressed into an unclean vest, then Phoenix didn't know what it was.

When asked about the previous night, Apollo said he cuddled more than usual. Phoenix wished he could remember. Apollo demanded he paid back the cab fee he owed him (midnight surcharges were a bitch). Phoenix conveniently forgot. But that's fine, Apollo told himself with a sigh and shake of his head as he watched his mentor snuggle against his chest like an adorable kitten and fall back asleep. As long as he didn't do it again.

Alas, that was wishful thinking because Phoenix could be stupidly, naively persistent at times and believed his tolerance actually improved. That, and he always believed in the good of people and had laughed Apollo off when the latter claimed the prosecutors were only interested in getting into his pants. He chalked it up to overprotective jealousy, while Apollo meanwhile had his reasons for doubt.

The second time Phoenix got drunk was on a Friday too soon. It was the usual suspects: Miles, Godot, Klavier and Simon. They lured him out for dinner, bought the unsuspecting defense attorney some shots and after a few rounds of "fun", Apollo had walked into a dark office, switched on the lights, and had the biggest freak-out session of his life when he found Phoenix drunkenly making out with Mr. Rockstar Prosecutor on the couch. Well, ok, it was more of Klavier devouring every inch of Phoenix while the latter pathetically pushed and tried to resist his advances. But it was still unacceptable.

"Herr Wright purrs like a Kätzchen," said the blonde after removing his lips from around a whimpering Phoenix's neck. "Care to join in, Herr Forehead?"

Poor Klavier didn't even have a chance to take back what he said. Apollo was _so mad,_ he practically blew his rival out of the building with his Chords of Steel and didn't even bother asking about him when said prosecutor failed to show up for their trial the following morning.

Apollo wanted to yell, lecture his mentor who appeared more ignorant and childish than he gave him credit for; admonish him for his stubbornness and nativity; for making him worry, but Phoenix had tears in his eyes and Apollo felt his heart soften. The poor man was too intoxicated and confused to comprehend anything. So, he simply pulled Phoenix close, reassured him of his love, and sealed it with a passionate, demanding, toe-curling kiss.

Now, Apollo Justice was a tolerable person. He could be a little hot-blooded and enthusiastic at times, but he was; and he prided himself on his ability to keep a good head on his shoulders and keep calm, logical and mostly sane in comparison to Athena, Trucy and his own boss whenever they launched into their antics or had problems maintaining a decent level of professionalism during investigations. Not to mention, maintaining the cleanliness of the office and monitoring the firm's accounts on a daily basis. Sure, he felt underappreciated most of the time, but he knew his co-workers cared… in their own bizarre, highly questionable way… which made him wish they didn't care at all sometimes. Of course, there were days he lost his patience – mostly due to Phoenix whenever they argued if it was a ladder or step-ladder (Goddammit, it was just a bloody _ladder_!) – but he figured he was mature and level-headed enough to control his temper in light of most things…

Except that one Thursday afternoon at the Prosecutor's Office.

"Where _is_ he?" he grumbled, consulting his watch for the fifth time that hour as he sat at the waiting area. It didn't make the time go any faster, but at least it gave him _something_ to do. Athena meanwhile, had grown so bored, she resorted to running laps around the vicinity.

It all started with a disagreement between Phoenix and Blackquill over the final verdict earlier in court. Their back-and-forth rain of objections and table-banging _post-trial_ had gotten so heated and violent (in Blackquill's case), that it demanded the attention of the Chief Prosecutor himself. So, here they were: waiting until their brains turned numb, while their boss and Prosecutor Blackquill went to settle their dispute in Edgeworth's presence like professionals.

Frankly, Apollo didn't care _who_ won. As long as that twisted samurai didn't lose his temper and cut Phoenix down to pieces, it was good enough for him. But an hour and 20 minutes was ridiculous, even for Phoenix, so Apollo found himself standing outside Edgeworth's very intimidating office door and feeling smaller than life.

 _Maybe I should just go back down and wait._

He turned around and was just about to do so, when he thought he heard something beyond the door. It was a little muffled by the hard mahogany, but he swore heard his mentor's voice as well as the sound of objects crashing onto the ground. When he pressed his ear against the wood, he felt his heart stop – Phoenix was crying; the door was locked; something was terribly wrong.

" _S-Stop… Please… Don't–"_

Screw the Chief Prosecutor and screw the damage bill.

And so, throwing caution to the wind, Apollo kicked the door down and immediately wished he hadn't. The desk was a mess; Phoenix was stripped naked with Blackquill and Edgeworth hovering over him, pinning him down, the former grasping his jaw and forcing his tongue down his throat; the latter roughly stroking his cock at a maddening pace. Phoenix's face was flushed, tears streaming down his soft, red cheeks; and suddenly, when the pleasure became too much to bear, he ripped his mouth away from Blackquill's smirking lips and threw his head back in a scream.

"I'm cumming! Cumming–!"

He came messily all over his chest and Edgeworth's hand. The last thing Apollo saw was the bespectacled gentleman demanding a trembling Phoenix to lick it clean, before his whole world turned red and the demon within which Jinxie often talked about, reared its ugly head. Suffice to say, the _Wright Anything Agency_ did end up receiving a hefty bill for damages… and hospitalization. Thankfully, neither Blackquill nor Edgeworth had the audacity to sue.

Phoenix tried to appease his partner, but Apollo was convinced now was a better time than any to publicly officialize their relationship, if only to get those perverted prosecutors off their backs. However, the older male had his reservations, avoided the subject and came up with one pathetic excuse after another, which eventually led to their first serious, full-blown argument. Even Trucy and Athena sensed the oncoming storm and had the decency to leave the office in the pretense of some personal errands.

"Apollo, I'm sorry, but we _can't_ -"

"Why not?! Are you ashamed of us? Don't you trust me? Are my feelings a bloody _joke_ to you?!"

" _No!"_ Phoenix cried in protest, only to bow his head and avoid his protégé's accusatory stare. "It's not any of those things. W-We weren't even supposed to…" he trailed off, biting his bottom lip in distress. "Just trust me when I say our relationship is complicated. We can't make it public."

" _Why not?!_ "

"Because I'm your boss and I said so, ok?!"

And then Phoenix retreated into his bedroom, slammed the door shut, and left Apollo in the office to simmer in silence.

Seriously, _what_ was the guy's problem?! And that last defense was cheap, beyond the man's normal standards in fact. So, their relationship was structured on the basis of power dynamics, huh? _Fine._ Boyfriend or not, he swore he'd make Phoenix live to regret those very words. As far as he was concerned, he has been too kind for far too long.

"If that's the way you're going to play, _sir_ – well, I have just the thing to turn your argument around…"

* * *

"Mn… Wha? _Ow…"_

Phoenix's eyes fluttered open, but all that greeted him was darkness – not because it was late or he was confined in some place dark, but something soft and light over his eyes obscured his vision; teased his senses; heightened his vulnerability. That realization spurred his body into action; the fog that clouded his brain receded and adrenaline coursed through his veins. Every inch of his body felt more sensitive; his senses on high alert.

A light breeze caressed his flesh and he shuddered from the innocent stimulation, the telling absence of weight and protection on his body a clear indication of his nakedness. Instinctively, he tried to close his legs, but something holding his ankles and wrists together prevented him from doing so, and the thought of him shamelessly baring his privates for the world to see made him crimson in mortification. He struggled against his bindings, but realised he couldn't get out of his half sit-up position. Overall, the pose was awkward and terribly compromising; and his butt felt extremely sore. There was something in his ass – he couldn't tell what it was, but it was stretching him beyond his normal capacity and it hurt so much. Phoenix felt like crying, but the gag tightly strapped around his mouth made it uncomfortable to speak a word, much less breathe properly.

 _What's going on? Who did this? Why can't I remember anything?_

The last thing he recalled was drinking a mug of hot cocoa Apollo had prepared for him as an apology, and then… nothing. Had he agreed to another night out with Edgeworth and company? Did he end up with the short end of the stick again and was this their cruel idea of a penalty?

Suddenly, someone chuckled, low and beguiling, and the familiarity of it left Phoenix feeling both relieved and terribly displaced. He knew that voice, heard it every night in his dreams and every day in his ear whispering sweet words of promise and endearment. That voice confessed its owner's deepest secrets, conveyed their darkest desire, shared their dreams… but instead of finding solace in it like he normally did, Phoenix couldn't shake off his mounting anxiety and fear.

"Awake, are we?" They laughed again. "Good. I was beginning to think I put a little _too_ much in your drink. Though I'm not complaining…" A hand teasingly caressed his inner thigh, lingering precariously close to his privates and Phoenix jerked forward in surprise. "The view's divine."

He couldn't scream, couldn't ask questions, so he settled for whimpering instead. His captor leaned close and he felt hot breath lick the shell of his ear.

"Oh, sir… If only you could see how adorable you look."

Fingers reached out to lovingly thread through his hair and he stiffened when he felt the digits bump against something attached to the sides of his head. Confused, he tilted his head and gave another whimper, this time in honest enquiry, only to squeak in surprise when he felt a finger run teasingly over the length of his cock, flick the tip, and run back down again. The person repeated the process languidly, like the mere action proved nothing more than an idle chore; and what embarrassed Phoenix wasn't the fact that he was fully exposed and vulnerable to the whims of another, but that his body was quickly responding to the careless treatment. He was hard in seconds.

"My, my… aren't you a lewd one," said the voice, pressing his finger down on the tip of Phoenix's twitching cock as said man moaned against his gag. "I barely did a thing, Mr. Wright, and you already look like you're about to _burst_ …"

The higher the pressure, the tighter his restraints felt. Phoenix clenched and unclenched his fingers; breathed sharply through his nose.

"So sensitive…"

They rubbed his tip eagerly. Precum dripped down his length. The focused stimulation was pure torture. He sobbed behind his blindfold, against the ball gag and all the saliva, and when the person delivered a tight smack to his hardness and laughed as it twitched eagerly in response, Phoenix didn't need to see himself to feel the twinge of his own humiliation.

"With how promiscuous you are, I think I need to be careful; after all, the purpose of this little experiment is to punish you, not pleasure you."

 _Punish?_

At those words, Phoenix tried to scramble away, but the person held him down and tsked.

"Come now, where's your sense of integrity? You've been a bad boy, Mr. Wright. Or should I say – they reached forward to tug the blindfold away – my little kitten."

Wincing and blinking rapidly from the sudden change, Phoenix gave himself a moment for his vision to adjust to his environment. A quick glance was all it took for him to conclude he wasn't in his office, but in Apollo's apartment, specifically in his bedroom, which then reminded him of the invitation he received from said man shortly before he probably, most likely passed out. The kid mentioned something about a drink… _had he been drugged?_ Ooohh… Apollo was going to receive a mouthful once he got himself out of this!

As if reading his mind, Apollo shook his head, bemused, like an owner watching his new pet indulge in its own endearing ignorance.

"Your face is an open book, kitten – and you're not getting out of this until you _learn_ to respect the hand that feeds you, or in this case, loves you."

Apollo gently caressed the sensitive, pink skin around Phoenix's sore entrance stretched wide by what appeared to be a dildo. A long, black furry cat tail extended from its end and Phoenix stiffened, feeling the thick rod inside him move a little when his boyfriend gave the tail a playful tug. He lifted his head to glare at Apollo, intending to convey the full extent of his annoyance and disapproval, but the latter simply grabbed his chin and forced his gaze towards the bedroom mirror.

"Still think you're in the position to call the shots?" he asked with a predatory grin.

Miserable and without any choice, Phoenix took in his reflection: automated cat ears sat innocently on either side of his head, the device moving in a reflection of his mood. The black ears were initially perked in surprise to his appearance, but were now flattened against his skull when the embarrassment kicked in. Phoenix knew for a fact that these things weren't cheap and the realization that Apollo had actually thought this whole plan through – quite elaborately – made his stomach do nervous flips and his heart pound in dread. _He's really going ahead with this._ Phoenix could see his leather bindings now, but they were more like shackles – each wrist was locked to an ankle, and the nature of the design kept his knees apart and ultimately, himself upright, forcing him to bear witness to whatever was going on between his legs. He could see the black tail as clearly as he felt it up his ass, and his gaze honed in on a black collar fastened around his neck – it had a little bell attached to it, along with a tag which read, "Property of Apollo Justice". He blushed in shame and would have looked away if not for Apollo's firm grip on his face.

 _This isn't happening._

Satisfied with his mentor's reaction, Apollo released him and rose to his feet. At that moment, looking up at that smug smirk and triumphant gleam in those hazel eyes, Phoenix felt small, powerless and for the first time since they met, concerned over the young lawyer's strength, status and capacity. For the first time ever, Apollo wasn't a "kid" and as for himself, his age and years of experience no longer made him feel like the center of authority.

"Now, what was it you said to me again?" Apollo mused to himself. "Oh yeah – 'I'm your boss and I said so'."

Phoenix cowered before his protégé. Why did he have a bad feeling about this?

"Well, kitten, I'm your _master_ now, and you're going to do whatever I _want._ "

The next thing he knew, Apollo grabbed the base of his tail, pulled the dildo out and mercilessly rammed it back in as far as it could go. Phoenix's eyes flew open and he threw back his head in an agonized wail that went muffled by the ball gag. _It hurt, oh God, it hurt._ Tears lined his beautiful blue eyes as he remained in his prone position, trembling, subservient, and at Apollo's complete mercy.

The fucking continued. Apollo thrust the dildo in and out, slowly yet roughly; slammed it against his protesting, inner walls. Phoenix bit into the gag so hard, his jaw started to hurt. No matter how many times Apollo repeated the action, it didn't make the pain any more bearable. He felt like his ass was going to split in two. His cat ears twitched madly. He could see the thick purple dildo with its numerous bumps going in and out of his hole with each agonizing thrust. Apollo was treating him so callously, cruelly, and he didn't know why or what he did to deserve such abuse.

He inclined his head to meet his protégé's stare, eyes wide, desperate and pleading – "I'm sorry. Please, forgive me," they seemed to say; but Apollo ignored him, angled his wrist and delivered a swift upward thrust. The rod struck Phoenix's prostate dead-on, momentarily making the poor lawyer see stars. His body felt paralysed; a split second of shock; and just before his brain could fully process how good it felt, Apollo started moving again as he pumped Phoenix's throbbing entrance at a rapid, maddening pace.

 _No…! Noooo… Too good… Stop, please! Can't-!_

The tip hit his sweet spot over and over, his dick weeped and throbbed painfully from the overstimulation, and Phoenix thought he'd surely go mad. His tears flowed freely now; strangled moans escaped the confines of his throat; his ears twitched erratically; more precum dribbled down his length; the dildo was slick with his juices; pleasure seized every inch of him, pushed him over the edge.

 _So close… So –_

Suddenly, Apollo whipped out a vibrator, switched it on, and jabbed it against his cock. Phoenix's eyes flew open; his pupils dilated; he nearly choked on his saliva. That thick rod pounding relentlessly against his prostate and those intense vibrations assaulting his cock… _T-Too much, too much!_ And with a strangled scream that tapered off into muffled sobs, he came all over his stomach and chest in messy, violent spurts.

"Haha, you came so much to just that?" said Apollo with an evil grin, his own cheeks flushed from the erotic spectacle. He reached up to wipe a drop of cum off his cheek, watching as the once proud attorney spasmed from the aftershocks of his intense orgasm.

"That was just a dildo, kitten. I wonder what would happen if I turned on its switch?"

 _No… No more… Please stop..._

Phoenix's mind was so far gone, he didn't even resist as his protégé replaced his tail, the accessory sliding into his butt easily, and he groaned from the soreness and the suggestion for more to come. He was too weak to fight, too humiliated to look his lover in the eye.

"It seems my cute little kitten learns well," Apollo commended on his subservience as he cupped Phoenix's tear-stained cheek, turning his face towards him. "Now, let's try this again: are we going to make our relationship public?"

The reaction was immediate: Phoenix jerked out of the brunette's grip and shook his head stubbornly, refusing to meet the latter's stare. However, his rebellion was to be expected; after all, that fight in his idol was one of his best qualities and Apollo wouldn't have him any other way. Besides, it would only make breaking his boss that much more satisfying.

"No? Well, that's fine, Mr. Wright," said Apollo flippantly, fiddling with the functions of the vibrator.

He maxed out the vibrations, rolled the dial forward and the thing buzzed to life. Phoenix whimpered, shook his head fervently; his cat ears flattening against his skull, but the shackles around his wrists and ankles reminded him of his futility. _No more, no more… He'd surely die._

Relishing in his newfound control, Apollo closed the space between them and whispered in his mentor's ear, "We have all weekend, my kitten. And I'm just getting started – today isn't over yet…"

* * *

Sunday morning.

Apollo yawned and sleepily padded out of his bedroom into the kitchen. His normally neatly styled hair and twin spikes were absent; instead, he sported an unruly look, his obvious bedroom hair granting him a careless, devilish disposition. And considering the many rounds of 'training' he administered last night and the night before, there was no need to keep up formal appearances. For a young father, Phoenix was delightfully wanton and energetic in bed – he could keep going, take everything his protégé had to offer over and over… or maybe it was simply because he had no choice but to. That last thought brought a smirk to Apollo's lips. He seriously doubted the prosecutors would pose a problem anymore. If anything, Phoenix learned fast.

After brewing himself a cup of coffee, he proceeded to his modest living room and made himself comfortable on the small sofa. Granted, his place was smaller than the _Wright Anything Agency,_ but it was cosy, sufficient and most importantly, neat. Not that the office was a total mess, but that was only because him and Athena were employed there and days were slow enough to schedule in some basic housekeeping… including the toilet. Though Phoenix was usually the one scrubbing the bowl about 4 times a day.

Speaking of Phoenix…

Apollo whistled and patted his thigh. "Come," he commanded and waited patiently.

On cue, a black head with spiky hair and furry cat ears peeked out from behind the bedroom door. The ears swiveled in a curious, adorable fashion, only to perk up when its owner located his master's figure on the sofa. Phoenix's face and skin was flushed pink, his body aching in various areas. He hadn't yet recovered from yesterday's vigorous 'training session' and this morning's erotic wake up call, but there were consequences for disobedience and it wouldn't do to keep his master waiting.

Crossing the living room on all fours, tail between his legs and his bell-and-collar jingling as he moved, Phoenix climbed up the sofa and as taught, lay his head upon Apollo's lap. He gazed up at the brunette with wide, innocent eyes and allowed them to drift shut when Apollo started stroking and threading his fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp. The gesture was affectionate and comforting and he couldn't stop the soft appreciative hum from leaving his lips.

"Such a good kitty…" Apollo praised, scratching behind the man's ear.

His hand wandered from Phoenix's hair to the graceful, perfect arch of his bare back; ran his fingers across soft, smooth skin; traveled to his adorable, perky bottom to pat and fondle it greedily. In response, Phoenix let out a low moan and spread his legs to give Apollo better access, whimpering when the latter reached between his thighs to grope his balls and play with his tail. His ass felt so sensitive and with every slight jerk of his tail, he felt his resolve and dignity slip away, and despite how exhausted he was, couldn't stop his body from responding to the pleasurable stimulation.

When Apollo's fingers ran teasingly up and down his length, pulled back the foreskin and rubbed and rolled the tip with a thumb and forefinger, it didn't take long for him to become hard and start dry humping his protégé's thigh. He heard his master laugh at his desperation, but he found that he didn't care. His body was no longer his own, his every will programmed to please. He readily succumbed to Apollo's instruction and desires, enjoyed the callous treatment, could even cum to said man's dirty talk, and for that he felt ashamed. There was no need for the bindings anymore – he knew his place.

"Who knew that the kitten was such a pervert," Apollo breathed against Phoenix's ear as he wrapped his hand around the latter's cock, stroking it so slowly it proved almost painful. "Come to think of it, didn't you just cum a few minutes ago?"

Phoenix whined and with a broken sob, turned his face to lick Apollo's cheek pleadingly. Thankfully, Apollo knew what he wanted.

"You want to cum again, don't you?" And on purpose, he released Phoenix's throbbing dick to teasingly flick his pert, pink nipples.

Phoenix whined again, this time louder and more desperate, even licked his protégé's face, neck and hands as he begged for his attention and pity, keening in want. But Apollo had something else in mind as he tackled his new pet onto the sofa; admired the man's sexy body made even more beautiful by the numerous love bites adorning his fair skin. As Phoenix gazed up at him with those big blue eyes, a pink tongue darting out to lick his soft lips, ears flicking in innocent wonder; Apollo growled possessively and felt his body grow hot with desire. _Fuck,_ did his mentor know how cute he looked?

 _I want to take him again._

"Enough of what you want," he said, tugging down the zipper of his pants and freeing his erection. "You're going to put that tight little ass to good use, and I won't stop until I've claimed every last inch of you, until you _smell_ of nothing but my cum, and whenever you're alone and you close your eyes, all you'd feel is my cock slamming into you over and over and over again…"

Phoenix tossed his head and released a loud, needy mewl. Apollo held up a switch and pressed the main button. The tail inside Phoenix buzzed to live and he arched his back with a squeak of surprise. He could feel the vibrations hammer insistently against his inner walls, torment his already abused, over sensitive prostate; felt the shocks gradually increase, the familiar pressure between his hips; felt the wetness drip down from the tip of his swollen cock to gather in a small puddle on his stomach. _More… more!_ He shook uncontrollably, his body twisting and jerking in sharply on the sofa– to get away, to experience more – but Apollo held his thighs down, made him _look_ , and Phoenix felt like he was going to lose his mind.

But it wasn't enough. The tail wasn't enough. He felt so empty and he longed to be filled.

"M-More," he begged, voice tiny and thin from lack of use. "More…"

"Cats don't talk," Apollo growled, took out a small wooden clothes peg and clipped it on a rosy nipple.

Phoenix cried out in pain, but didn't cease in his begging and Apollo lost his patience along with his resolve. He wouldn't lie to himself: the way his idol behaved now, all inhibition thrown to the wind, pitifully and shamelessly _begging_ to be fucked… it was hot. It was extremely sexy; and he decided that disciplining his kitten could wait.

Without any warning, he grabbed the tail, pulled it out, and entered his lover in one swift thrust. Phoenix squealed and wrapped his legs around Apollo's waist, clung on for dear life as the younger male proceeded to fuck him like an animal. _Yes, yes, yes!_ His master's cock was the best. He felt so full. Apollo's hips slamming repeatedly against his ass. The wet noises and precum flowing out his hole every time Apollo pulled out and entered again. Apollo's hand around his dick, pumping him in time with his thrusts. His own precum coating Apollo's fingers; overflowing; trailing down that strong arm. Apollo's heavy breathing against his ear. Apollo… _Apollo…_

"H-Harder!" Phoenix gasped, eyes rolling from the pleasure. "Do it harder… c-cum in my ass… I want your cum, all of it… _Master…_ "

"I said, cats don't talk!" Apollo clipped the second nipple and Phoenix actually sobbed this time, but failed to earn any sympathy from the man above him.

When Apollo angled his hips just so and struck his sweet spot, balls deep, Phoenix momentarily forgot the pain and let loose a loud and low mewl. _Yessss…_ His lewd response went straight to Apollo's cock and with a grunt, the latter forced his thighs further back and continued to vigorously fuck him into the sofa.

 _Amazing… Can't stop…!_ His hips kept going. Apollo gazed at the whimpering man beneath him, took in those swollen, bright red nipples pinched tight by a pair of clips that bounced with every thrust; the pink puckered skin of Phoenix's entrance around his dick; his lover's straining, weeping erection slapping against his abdomen; those blue eyes clouded with pleasure; those cheeks thoroughly flushed; and concluded that Phoenix was beautiful.

 _Mine,_ he thought. No one else's.

His hips moved faster; he was so close; couldn't stop, didn't want to ever stop. He wanted Phoenix all to himself, exclusively; to love him; fuck him; _own him._ And with the way said man clung onto him, begged him with his adorable little keens and mewls, Apollo knew that from now on, his idol would never long for another. Phoenix wouldn't be able to cum, much less find pleasure in someone else, and that thought brought him tremendous satisfaction.

Phoenix's back arched off the sofa, his ears perked, mouth open in a silent scream, and Apollo knew he was close to his climax. And unable to help himself any longer, he leaned down to claim his mentor's lips in a passionate, demanding, star-seeing kiss. For Phoenix who hadn't experienced any tender affection all weekend, the pleasant contact was all it took to send him over the edge as he came all over his stomach with a violent shudder. Apollo followed soon after and Phoenix moaned when he felt his lover's warm seed fill him up for the second time this morning; for the eighth time in 2.5 days; and what bothered him more than his growing addiction to sex, was the fact that he actually _wanted_ to keep Apollo mad, so that he wouldn't have this give this up.

"You belong to me, Mr. Wright," said the young lawyer against his lips and Phoenix had no objections.

But he still couldn't be truthful about their relationship. He had his reasons and he didn't expect Apollo to understand. If ownership made up for all the pain and confusion, and gave his lover the solace he needed, then he would gladly submit. And so, Phoenix rolled over, fixed his big, innocent blue eyes on his master, and released a gentle, quiet mew. That was the first time he made such a sound. It was for Apollo's ears only and it made his protégé's heart melt.

* * *

"OBJECTION!"

Another day, another case. Phoenix slammed his palms onto the table before pointing accusingly at a smirking Blackquill from across the room.

"The killer could have hidden behind the door and fled the scene as soon as Miss Crowne happened upon the crime! There's your exit."

Blackquill's eyes flashed dangerously. He refused to let this fool turn this case around again.

"Silence! If the killer truly did as you said, then why didn't-"

Suddenly, he stopped and pointed at Phoenix's neck. The stoic expression was gone to be replaced with honest surprise and suspicion.

"... Wright-dono, what's that around your neck?"

Phoenix visibly stiffened and his hand automatically went up to touch the black collar, fingers narrowly avoiding the little bell as he tried to hide the 'Property of Apollo Justice' tag. Inwardly, he wondered how the hell his protégé had managed to convince him to come to court today with the collar of his shirt unbuttoned. Everyone would be able to see his shame. Then again, considering what Apollo wanted of him, that was probably the whole point.

As Blackquill continued to stare at him weirdly, perhaps a little knowingly, Phoenix blushed and fumbled to hide his token of ownership.

"Ob-Objection," he stammered. "This has nothing to do with the case!"

* * *

 **Author's note:**

First of all, I'd like to apologise to _FourCursedOnixes -_ sorry for taking so long to churn this out. I hope you, as well as the rest of my readers enjoyed this, and I pray I didn't lose you as a reader. I certainly had fun writing it. Thank you for leaving your request and no need to feel embarrassed :) it came at the right time, especially since I was feeling very uninspired to update this. Thanks for getting me back on my feet!

Second, to all my fellow readers, please don't hesitate to leave your prompts/requests in your reviews. I promise to read them and churn out chapters to my best ability. If there's any request I'm unable to fulfill, I'll definitely explain why in the following update. Unless your request requires me to brutally murder Apollo and/or Phoenix, I don't foresee any problems taking up your prompt!

Third, I'm focusing my creative energy on my main Phoenix Wright project, "House of Cards". It's another Apollo/Phoenix fanfic with Kristoph/Phoenix as well. If you guys are interested, do check it out on my profile! :) Because of this, I probably won't update "20 kisses" as much, unless I get a prompt/request. I'm not very good at juggling between works, so I hope you guys understand. Also, the 6th PW game is coming out soon and I intend to play it to gather more material for future kisses.

If you like what you read, feel free to follow, favorite and/or leave a review. I always enjoy reading what you guys have to say and a little support does go a long way.


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